So Happy Together
by dontbreathetoodeep
Summary: Quinn sets out to do something she's never done before: make herself completely vulnerable to another person. The question is, how would Rachel take the fact that the girl who'd bullied her was actually in love with her?
1. Leave The Pad Here

_'Imagine me and you, I do.'_

"Quinn if I am going to be the only one involved in the song writing process then there really is no point in us doing this."

_'I think about you day and night.'_

"That's what I've been saying all along," Quinn sighed running her hand through her hair looking at the petite brunette standing in front of her, why Mr Schuester had paired them together she still couldn't understand exactly and the song playing on the radio was incredibly distracting when trying to look at the girl in front of her like she normally would.

_'It's only right to think about the girl you love, and hold her tight.'_

"You are the one who has been through a traumatic time, and so you are the one who needs to vent your time into artistic expression such as writing a song," the brunette looked at the girl who had made her life hell for the best part of her school years. All that was running through Quinn's head was trying to turn the song off but Rachel wouldn't understand why she needed to do that. Rachel wouldn't understand anything at all.

"You are right that I have been through a traumatic time but I don't think it has anything to do with the baby, more to do with you, and right now," the girl looked to Rachel and sighed again knowing fine well that she wasn't going to stop bugging her so she might as well play along, "so you want me to write a song about Beth?"

"Yes, please," Rachel nodded, "if you want to. I mean, you could write a song about anything you want to but we just need to write it. If you give me the lyrics then I'm sure I'd be able to work out what it would sound like as a solo for me,"

"Oh so I write it but you get to sing it? Sounds like a fair deal," she said sarcastically rolling her eyes at the brunette, "at least let's make it a duet?"

"You want to sing a duet with me?" Rachel blushed as Quinn nodded smiling, "I thought you would be too embarrassed to sing with me."

"What because you're a better singer?"

"No, no," she shook her head and looked to blonde, "just because, well you haven't made it a secret over the years that you-"

"Rach you're babbling," the blonde laughed and kicked back her feet and threw her head to rest on the headboard of the diva's bed.

"Rach?"

"Will you shut up?" Quinn laughed again, finding joy in the confusion radiating from Rachel, "I'm trying to be nice and all you can do is be cynical," Rachel searched the blonde's face for any sign of something being wrong, if she didn't know better then she'd think that Quinn was trying to flirt with her.

"Sorry," she shook her head moving her gaze back to the blank sheet of paper on her lap, "so, song ideas,"

"Right, song ideas," Quinn looked to the ceiling of the ridiculously pink bedroom and thought about the men sitting downstairs who were no doubt thinking about her too. She'd never been to Rachel's house and it wasn't difficult to believe the only people who had were the boys who she had dated, she then became disturbed at the thought of what might have happened on the bed she was sitting on and moved uncomfortably.

"Any thoughts?"

"Only that I'm very bored and would rather continue this conversation somewhere else,"

"Such as?"

"Breadstix?" Rachel stood up with the pad of paper in hand and grabbed her coat without answering, "How about you leave the pad here yeah?"

"But then we won't be able to-"

"Just leave it, Rach,"

"Sure, Q," the biggest butterflies made their way into Quinn's stomach and she giggled nervously watching the diva place the pad on her bed before motioning her to follow her out of the bedroom. Rachel had no idea what was going on, why was Quinn calling her a pet name, and why did she do the same thing? Also, why the hell were they going to Breadstix? Was this a date? The last time she checked, if a boy had asked her, it would definitely a date but what about a girl? What was she thinking, of course Quinn hadn't asked her out on a date.

"Should I drive?" the blonde asking looking to the diva with a pretty smile.

"If you want to,"

"All right, come on then," Rachel followed Quinn out of the house after saying goodbye to her fathers and closing the door. She could feel her eyes drifting towards Quinn's backside which wasn't uncommon, but she hadn't really noticed it so much before. Immediately pulling her eyes from it, she could see that Quinn had been looking over her shoulder at her smirking suggestively. Ignoring all the feeling in her gut that this dinner was probably not a good idea, she climbed into the white SUV and kept quiet for one time in her life, "you can talk you know, I'm not going to kill you or anything."

"I wasn't thinking you were," she laughed, "I am now."

"You're funny," Quinn nodded, pulling out of Rachel's drive keeping the gaze on Rachel longer than she normally would have, "you're a vegan right?"

"I am, I didn't think you would know that,"

"I know more about you than you think," a smirk made its way onto her face and she continued, "like I know you check out my ass when I'm in front of you and even you don't know that."

"Actually, I do know I do that,"

"So you admit it?" Rachel was stumped, she hadn't any idea what the right answer was, should she admit it, or let it go?

"Yes, I guess I do," she laughed, feeling the tension that had been there for years crumble down around them and the blonde joined in the laughter too, "what's so funny?"

"I thought you would deny it, or compose a huge essay to disguise your answer,"

"Maybe you do know a lot about me," she replied, thinking about what Quinn had just said, that is usually what she'd do. What was Quinn doing to her defence system?

"I know I do, but you clearly know nothing about me," her eyebrow arched as she waited for an answer from the diva when nothing came she decided to keep talking, "I know what you think about me. Blonde, pretty, head cheerleader, in love with popularity, in line to take over the world with Santana," Rachel let out a laugh, "shallow, stupid, conceited."

"I don't think that at all,"

"Which part,"

"The last things you said, I don't think you're shallow, stupid or conceited. I think you're very bright and too pretty for your own good,"

"So you do think I'm pretty?" her eyebrow arched again, something that was becoming a trend in the blonde's endearing facial expressions.

"Would you stop getting me to say things about you, you're twisting all my words and making me feel stupid,"

"Oh thanks, so you don't think I'm pretty. Remind me why I'm taking you out for dinner again," the car turned a corner and they came to the familiar road which approached Breadstix.

"So you are taking me out?" Rachel played Quinn at her own game and laughed along with the blonde who was finding it hilarious that Rachel's attempt was so badly done.

"Yes, I am, is that all right?"

"Yes, it is, I just don't know what it means," Quinn kept her eyes on the road trying her best to not look at the brunette in her car.

"Just go with it, hopefully by the end of the night you'll find out what it means," something about that sent a hot flush over Rachel's skin, what was that supposed to mean? Whatever it was, she was going to find out and quite frankly she couldn't wait.

"I'll have the Sesame Noodles With Napa Cabbage please," Rachel folded the menu and looked to Quinn who was looking at the menu hungrily before closing hers too.

"I'll have the same, thank you," their eyes met and Rachel looked suspicious.

"You're not vegan are you?"

"No," Quinn laughed, "I couldn't do it, I just think I should respect your diet and stay away from the meat while I'm eating with you."

"Nobody has ever done that for me before," she smiled and Quinn smiled back, she wondered what was happening, she'd never made such an impulsive decision like this before and this time it was for someone she promised she would leave alone. Santana was going to kill her.

"Well, I'm glad I could be the first," she winked clearly meaning something else entirely, "look you're blushing."

"Yes well that's all your fault," she waved her hand in the blonde's direction to which Quinn laughed at her, "would you stop laughing at me, you're making me even more nervous."

"Why are you nervous being on a date with a girl?" Quinn's head cocked to the side and her eyebrows did a slight dance on her forehead.

"I don't know, why did you ask a girl to go on a date with you?" she then imitated Quinn's expression which made them laugh slightly before looking deep into each other's eyes.

"I don't know, I guess..."

"Yes?"

"I guess you confused me," she admitted, picking up her coke and raising the glass to her lips which Rachel followed with her eyes, "I don't know."

"Well that's how I feel about why I'm so damn nervous,"

"I thought you didn't cuss," she laughed, "sorry, I'll stop."

"No don't, it's quite funny actually. I like it when people flirt like that."

"Who said I was flirting, Berry?" again, her eyebrow arched and Rachel couldn't help but shake her head at her.

"Well that's what it seems like to me,"

"You have a good eye for flirting then, I thought I was getting very good at hiding how I feel about you," she lowered her voice slightly, "I've had enough practice at it."

"What do you mean?" Rachel could feel her heart beat through her shirt and was sure that Quinn could hear it over the table.

"Let's just say, I've wanted to rip Finn's head off numerous times in the past year," Quinn laughed but could see that Rachel wasn't close to laughter, she looked freaked out, "I'm sorry, I need to learn to keep my mouth shut."

"No, actually, you need to learn to open your mouth and tell people when you're feeling things for them, and not spring it on them when they're already on their first date with you and feel ridiculously under-dressed,"

"I don't care about that, you look fantastic,"

"This is weird, what are you doing? What are we doing?"

"Well right now we're going to eat some food because here it comes," the familiar waitress came to the table carrying two bowls, "hey Sandy,"

"Hello, Quinn," she smiled placing the bowls in front of the two girls, "enjoy your meal."

"I really hope you don't regret ordering this," Rachel picked up her knife and fork and began to twirl the noodles onto the fork carefully, "I doubt you will because it is simply delicious."

"It certainly smells nice," Quinn smiled while doing the same as the petite girl in front of her, "should we talk about everything that's just happened?"

"Yes, I do believe we should."

"Are you gay?" a cough erupted from Rachel's throat and her eyes widened, "Sorry."

"No, no, it's OK. If you asked me earlier in the day then I would have laughed at you and told you to not be so ridiculous but now, I, I don't know,"

"You're cute,"

"Will you stop, I'm trying to figure all of this out,"

"Food's nice," Rachel nodded agreeing with Quinn.

"Thinking about it now, I really do check out your butt an awful lot,"

"Yes you do," the blonde laughed, hungrily twirling more noodles onto her fork, "and my boobs."

"I was just thinking about that, I'm not very discrete am I?"

"No you aren't, but it makes things more interesting. It just used to annoy me that you would blatantly undress me with your eyes and then go running into Finn's arms like some huge hetero-blanket,"

"It might have helped if you were more obvious with your flirting, I haven't caught you once, not even a little bit,"

"Puck did," Quinn laughed looking into her bowl remembering the conversation she'd had with him about six months earlier about the diva, "he offered to try and help me. I turned him down." Rachel joined in the laughing wondering how oblivious she'd been to it all.

"So, what? You like me?"

"I do, yes,"

"I like you too,"

"What?"

"What do you mean what? Surely you knew after this conversation?"

"No, I thought that putting myself out there and being rejected would allow me to move on and stop being hung up on someone I thought I would never have a chance with," Rachel's admission had clealy thrown Quinn off guard, she was all prepared to go home heartbroken but with at least some idea that she needed to let go.

"Well, would you mind not moving on?" the brunette stretched her hand out on the table and Quinn took it. Rachel could see a tear in her eye, this wasn't something stupid she'd been set up to do by some sick joke from Santana, what Quinn was saying was the truth.

"I'd love to not move on," she wiped the one tear that fell and laughed lightly, "I feel really stupid now."

"Really? Because I think you're being very sweet,"

"But what about you? Aren't you straight? I mean, Finn, Jesse, Puck even,"

"I'd rather not think about that when I'm thinking about getting you alone,"

"Rachel Berry!"

"I know, I'm terrible," she winked which caused Quinn to laugh at the girl, "I know that when I have been with boys, I have put off the physical act of love because it felt like something was missing. Whatever Finn kept feeling which made him, _happy, _wasn't reciprocated and although that annoyed him, I wasn't going to throw away my virginity if I didn't feel into it. It was the cause of the break up," Quinn tried really hard to hang onto every word she said but couldn't help being putt off by the girl's lack of literal vocabulary.

"Do you have a problem with the word 'sex'?"

"I don't know, I just feel weird saying it sometimes," she shrugged, "I know I'm weird, people tell me that every day."

"You're cute,"

"Fabray!" both girls turned to see the familiar girl storm over with a hesitant Brittany following, "What did I tell you, Q, I told you not to tell her or make a move because you and your popularity would get hurt and what have you done? You've ignored me. Well we're joining you, sit down Britt,"

"Hello to you too Santana," Rachel said giving Brittany a smile which she returned politely.

"I wasn't talking to you, Berry,"

"San," warned Quinn, "stop it."

"I'm looking out for you Quinn, I don't want you to get hurt. Your popularity? That can be fixed easily, come on you're friends with me. But Berry isn't even gay,"

"Would you stop talking about me like I'm not even here?" Santana looked at her and eyed her up and down, "Anyway, who says I'm not gay?"

"Your relationship with Finnocence," her head whipped back to look at Quinn, "oh my God what are you eating?"

"It's called Sesame Noodles With Napa Cabbage, it's actually really good," she took another forkful of noodles after smiling at Rachel who was doing the same.

"Yeah looks it, hey could we please have some wedges to share?" she aimed at the waitress who was walking past.

"Sure, some dips too?"

"Of course, thanks," once the waitress walked away, Santana looked back to Rachel, "so are you saying you are gay?"

"I'm saying I don't know but I like Quinn and if you're basing my sexuality on people I have previously dated then you are being very hypocritical, Santana."

"Well all I'm saying is, you mess with her, you mess with me,"

"Why are you so scary all the time?" the petite brunette looked to the Latina with frightened eyes.

"It's what I do best, Berry,"

"I don't want to be rude Santana, but could you and Brittany maybe leave us for a while, I don't feel comfortable talking around you," Quinn looked to her friend for help, "please?"

"You want to be nice to me Fabray, I could easily tell her about your sex dreams,"

"Hm?" Rachel's head popped up from taking another lot of noodles in.

"Santana, go,"

"Yes ma'am," Santana and Brittany stood up and moved to a free table on the other side of the restaurant leaving Rachel and Quinn with only each other to look to. Rachel didn't know what to say, even after only a few hours alone with the girl, she knew that the feelings she felt were true and she could see they were equally, if not more, reciprocated. The presence of Santana might have even helped them as it left Rachel even more convinced that it wasn't a trick, Santana may be a bitch but she wasn't a liar. The blonde couldn't believe what had happened in one day, she'd gone from complaining to Puck in the morning about her dreams which were driving her crazy, to holding hands with Rachel at Breadstix around people they both knew. Nothing added up but Quinn wasn't going to ignore it, not for a minute.

"So, I'm pretty much certain I'm gay," Rachel broke the silence and Quinn just smiled tenderly, "I knew there was a reason I couldn't keep my eyes off you when you perform but never look at Finn, or Puck or any of the guys. I knew there was a reason that Brittany and Satana's make out sessions didn't gross me out and actually I couldn't help but look a little longer than was possibly socially accepting, and of course why I didn't want to sleep with any of the ex boyfriends I've had." Quinn nodded, feeling exactly the same but holding the slight regret of caving for Puck.

"Me too," they both connected hands again and Quinn could see Brittany holding a heart sign with her hands up at the two of them, "so what do you want to do about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to come out, or do you want to just date and then deal with all of that later?"

"Would it be crazy if I wanted to go home right now and talk to my Dads right away and call you my girlfriend to the world?"

"No, I want to do the same thing," they smiled at one another, "but I've wanted to do that for about a year, are you sure you don't want to wait a while and make sure you aren't making a mistake?"

"Q, I've never been so sure of anything before. How could this," she lifted her hand to her chest so she could feel her heart beat, "be wrong?" Quinn nodded giggling slightly and she felt her heart beat raise too, never had she expected this to be the result of the conversation. After paying the cheque, Quinn gestured for Rachel to stand up and she wrapped her arm around her lower back hugging her in close before saying goodbye to her fellow cheerios who hadn't taken their eyes off the pair since moving tables. The two of them exited the restaurant and approached the car slowly.

"Do you want to tell your Dads now then?"

"I do," Rachel nodded, "you will come with me won't you?"

"Sure, if you want me to. Do they know about how badly I used to treat you?" Quinn thought that the only reason they would disapprove would be if they knew about the bullying that had happened in the past.

"No, that they don't. It's quite convenient now don't you think?" they both laughed.

"Thank goodness, I don't know if I could take the wrath of the evil step-dads,"

"Especially the sassy gay step-dads," Rachel corrected before laying her hand lightly on the back of Quinn's jean pocked, "I've always wanted to do that."

"That is totally and completely fine," she winked before getting out the car keys to open the SUV. As it beeped, Rachel stood next to the door ready to open it but before she even had the chance, Quinn grabbed onto her waist and kissed her neck tenderly from behind moving her hair as she kissed. Rachel melted into the touch and sighed appreciatively to which Quinn was sure Rachel was right when she said she was confident about her sexuality; she'd never seen Rachel react like this to anything Finn ever did. As she moved her hands to the front of her stomach she pulled her in and whispered into her ear, "and I've always wanted to do that."

_'So happy together...'_


	2. I Told You

Quinn pulled up onto the double driveway of the Berry household parking tightly behind Rachel's Mini Cooper. Turning to see the girl next to her, she couldn't help but laugh at how stressed out she looked. As far as she was concerned, she was in the best position of anyone who had ever come out in the history of the world: her Dads were gay, they hadn't liked any of her boyfriends and they actually liked Quinn when she'd come earlier on in the day.

_"Ahh who is this pretty girl you've brought home Rachel?" Leroy laughed earning a harsh glare from Hiram who clearly didn't find the joke funny. Quinn, however, was not only flattered but also incredibly amused._

_ "I'm Quinn, we have a project for Glee to write a song,"_

_ "What does it need to be about?" Hiram asked looking to Rachel._

_ "No solid topic, just something you're passionate about," they nodded and Quinn and Rachel walked upstairs to the bedroom. Quinn heard the two men in the living room talking about something to do with her and how nice she seemed. She was also pretty sure she heard Leroy say something about knowing something but Hiram dismissed it quickly._

"Will you stop laughing at me?" the diva exclaimed looking at the pretty blonde next to her, "I know you're all experienced being out to your parents and whatever but this is still pretty scary to me. I bet you were scared,"

"Well yes of course but my parents are Bible-bashing homophobes who kicked me out when I was pregnant, you have very accepting parents. Not just that, gay parents!"

"I know, I'm being a bit silly aren't I?" Rachel laughed and looked into her hazel eyes and sighed, "I'm sorry,"

"Don't be, I understand, it's natural. Now come on or I'm afraid you'll never do it," she opened the door and hopped out of the car before walking around to Rachel's side. Once seeing she hadn't gotten out of the car yet she opened the door, "you aren't expecting me to get the door for you all the time are you because I think that's slightly old fashioned and also, offensive for you to think of me as even somewhat male."

"No, no, sorry. I kind of zoned out," she unbuckled her seat belt and joined Quinn on the step to the house. Grabbing hold to her hand, she opened the door to see her Dads standing there waiting for her.

"I told you," Leroy Berry said to his husband with a smirk on his face, Hiram looked at him with an unconvinced expression.

"She hasn't even said anything yet, Leroy, let her talk,"

"Come on, you know that look,"

"Dad," the petite girl urged her father to be quiet, "I need to tell you something,"

"I told you,"

"Be quiet Leroy," the smaller man shushed putting a hand on his arm, "come in darling, and you too Quinn," he gestured for the two of them to enter the living room. Quinn could feel the men studying her, looking for some sign that she'd done something wrong or maybe right, she wasn't sure what they were thinking but felt very intimidated nonetheless. The only comfort came when she could see Leroy smirk at her with an arched eyebrow, much like what she did. She was then fairly confident that he knew what was going on.

"Dads," the girl started, looking to Quinn who she could see had eye contact with Leroy to which she smiled, "what I'm going to tell you might shock you,"

"I don't think it will," Hiram shot Leroy a glance as a final warning to be quiet which earned a giggle from Quinn.

"I'm gay,"

"Told you!" Leroy jumped out of his seat and ran to give Rachel a hug to which she jumped back in shock, of course she'd not expected the men to be disgusted, disappointed or annoyed but she expected some sort of shock or surprise from them.

"OK, so you did," the smaller man smiled and looked to Quinn, "and Quinn, you're gay too?"

"Yes sir," she smiled looking to Rachel who was still looking shocked at the hug from Leroy before also being bombarded by a crushing hug from the man who whispered into her ear.

"You weren't very sly checking her out when you arrived earlier, kid," he whispered for only Quinn to hear to which she laughed heartily. She wanted to pinch herself just to make sure that everything that had happened really had been real. For one, Rachel hadn't rejected her and left her heartbroken as expected and now here they were talking to her parent's about it and being welcomed with hugs. She thought back to the conversation she'd had with her parents almost a year ago about her sexuality, starting with her mother. They had taken it pretty well, better than the pregnancy anyway. Her mother had accepted it straight away, Quinn thought it was because she wasn't in danger of getting pregnant again and since she had kicked her Dad out after the affair, the pair of them had been much closer. It turned out her mother was far more open minded about things than she had let on when she was still living under her father's forceful thumb. Even when she told her Dad, the reaction was millions times better than she had expected. In truth, he hadn't been paying much attention to her since she'd had the baby anyway, sure she visited him and his new girlfriend a few times a week and ate with them on a Sunday but they rarely talked about anything. Quinn remembered the look on his face when he was spending the night at his house one day and at dinner she just said, "I'm gay,". He kept his eyes on his food, nodded his head, and carried on eating. It wasn't until the next day that he questioned her about it.

_"Quinn," she remembered him saying, "you know God doesn't like gay people?"_

_ "Yes," she replied simply, never daring to argue with her persistent and incredibly scary father, "but I can't lie to myself any more, Dad, I just can't. And if I lie to myself, then I lie to God and I could never do that."_

_ "OK, as long as you know that, I can't do anything. If you are honest with God, then he will at least appreciate that. I only have one request from you Quinn, if you find _someone_ you want to be with, then I want to know, as long as you don't hide anything from me we'll be OK." _

_ "All right Dad," she nodded, "actually, there is someone I like." _

_ "Do they like you?" he asked._

_ "I don't know, I think so," she shrugged, "but nothing's going to happen, at least not yet."_

_ "If it does you tell me, and then, even though I don't exactly like the idea of this whole thing, at least we have an understanding."_

_ "Yes Dad," he nodded, turned to walk out of her room and they never spoke about it again. _

"Quinn?" Rachel looked at her with worried eyes, Quinn realised she'd zoned out.

"Sorry Rach, I was somewhere else," she emphasised with her hands that she hadn't been listening and she could see the girl was looking to her for an answer, "what?"

"My Dads just asked if you were my girlfriend?" Quinn smiled at the brunette's need for an answer from her, she thought it'd been obvious what she wanted but obviously it wasn't.

"Oh," she answered arching her eyebrow at the diva which Leroy noticed and laughed at.

"Yeah," the brunette smiled a smile that made Quinn's heart flutter.

"Well?" Quinn began to giggle, wondering what she would say back.

"Well?"

"Well, Rach, will you be my girlfriend?" Leroy and Hiram looked to one another and then to their daughter whose smile grew bigger.

"Of course I will,"

"Always so well spoken," the smaller of the two men whispered a little too loudly.

"Shh, Hiram," Leroy demanded this time to get a laugh from the two girls who still kept their eyes on one another. They walked towards each other forgetting about the amusing men in the room as Rachel wrapped her dainty arms around Quinn's waist pulling her in allowing Quinn to drape hers around the tiny shoulders when she noticed a flowery scent waft its way into her nose from the shiny brown hair. Leroy walked over to his husband and rested his hand on his shoulder.

"Finally one she actually likes," he laughed only loud enough for his husband to hear and Hiram nodded agreeing with him, "and one I like too." The two girls turned to face the men who were looking at them and smiled.

"To answer your question, Dad, yes she is my girlfriend."

"I told you," Leroy repeated.

"Is that your new catchphrase or something?" he laughed looking to Leroy who winked at him, "So let's just jump back to reality for a second, Quinn, do your parents know?"

"They know I'm gay, yes. And they knew that I liked Rachel and that I was coming over here tonight, I didn't tell them that I was going to talk to her about all of this though; I told them I was coming over for a Glee project, which I was initially," Rachel laughed at the comment but thought about what Quinn had said, she'd discussed her with her parents?

"So, they're going to be accepting of your relationship?" Leroy questioned thinking exactly what the rest of the people in the room were thinking.

"Accepting no? But they would tolerate it, certainly," Quinn smiled which was reciprocated by the men and Rachel who were happy to hear that nothing had to be a secret, "I wouldn't even think about my parents, the only time I talk to my Dad is when I'm forced to have dinner with him and his girlfriend which is only on a Sunday, and my Mom doesn't really care about anything about my sister and her perfect husband. They don't really care about what happens to me, as long as I know that God hates me, they think there is nothing the can do to 'save' me,"

"Oh Quinn," the smaller man said, "I know I'm not a Christian but how could a God who is all good, possibly hate someone for loving?"

"Oh don't worry, I don't think that God does hate me. Sorry if you don't agree with me but God has been there for me when nobody else was, He gave me hope and strength and if anything, He has been more helpful since I've been honest with myself and Him about who I am. I only tell my Dad that I know He hates me so that I can keep him on my good side so he doesn't force my Mom to kick me out again,"

"Rachel told us about that, I'm very sorry that happened to you," Quinn had an embarrassed look on her face, surely if Rachel told them that she would have told them everything else that happened to result in that, "I can see that look on your face, we don't judge you because of that, at all," Leroy nodded, agreeing with his husband.

"I feel like such an idiot," she said thinking back to the stupid fling with Puck that all happened because of the lack of intimacy she wanted with Finn, she figured that it was because she didn't like him, she thought maybe Puck would be able to help. She was wrong, all he did was get rid of her abs and make her even more sure she was gay. There was one good thing that came out of that relationship though and that was the beautiful blonde girl who she was able to see every now and then when Shelby needed a sitter, "I do see her though, sometimes,"

"It's lovely isn't it?" Leroy looked to Rachel, "Having a child I mean,"

"Yes, it's the best thing in the world, but it does break my heart having to leave her with Shelby every time I visit."

"Ah, another thing, your baby is being looked after Rachel's mother," the taller man laughed, "what an odd couple you are," all four of them laughed and Quinn looked to Rachel who didn't seem phased by the use of the word 'mother' like she used to.

"Does that make us, like, sisters?" Rachel asked and all of their faces scrunched up.

"Don't say that Rach, that's disgusting. Can we just forget about it please?" Quinn's face was in a temporary disgusted state where she couldn't even smile at first.

"Change of subject," jumped in Leroy, "are you staying here tonight Quinn?"

"I never really thought about it," she looked to Rachel who nodded smiling, "yeah I guess I am then, is that OK with you two, I don't want to impose."

"Don't be silly of course it's OK, just no funny business,"

"Leroy!"

"Oh Hiram be serious, they're kids. Do you remember what we were like when we were kids?"

"Dad!"

"OK, I'll shut up, you two go upstairs so your Dad can tell me off and I don't need to be embarrassed in front of Quinn, poor girl's seen too much of our kooky family already,"

"Anything different from my family is greatly accepted," she laughed, "thank you Mr and Mr Berry," the men said their names in unison correcting her, "sorry - Hiram and Leroy,"

"That's better, see you in the morning girls," said Hiram giving Rachel a peck on the forehead.

"Yeah, night girls, remember what I said though, yeah?"

"Yes Dad," Rachel grumbled giving her Dad a kiss on the cheek before taking Quinn's hand and leading her upstairs to the room they had been attempting to write a song earlier in the day.

"Well, that went absolutely brilliantly," Quinn smiled perching on the bed crossing her legs, "are you all right?"

"I'm more than all right, I just can't believe what's happened within a day, are you sure it's still Tuesday?"

"According to my phone," Quinn pulled the iPhone out of her pocket, looked to it, and then back up to Rachel, "it will still be Tuesday for another three hours,"

"It's only nine?" the diva exclaimed, "I can't believe it,"

"What?" Quinn laughed, motioning for Rachel to come closer to her. Rachel held the blonde's hands in hers and smiled affectionately.

"My girlfriend is the most beautiful girl in school, and I'm just well, _me,_" her shoulders shrugged and could feel Quinn's grip tighten as she pulled her in closer.

"No offence, but I think my girlfriend could give yours a run for her money," she winked and let go of her hands, wrapping hers around her waist to lie on the dip of her back on top of the cute little dress she was wearing.

"I don't think so," her voice trailed off as she got lost in Quinn's eyes, she tried to decide what colour they were. Green, brown, even a bit blue. _Beautiful._

"Whatever you say, I've been in love with you for a year," Quinn sighed and kept the eye contact with her girlfriend before pulling the petite diva onto her lap allowing her legs to cross over her own. Rachel couldn't say anything, scared that if she did, she'd say something stupid. All she could do was wrap her arms around Quinn's shoulders and rest their foreheads together as they breathed simultaneously. "I love you," came from the blonde.

"I love you too," Rachel replied without even thinking about it. Quinn didn't question it; she knew all the little interactions they had over the past year had lead to this moment. All the times she whined to Puck or Santana about something that had happened, she knew that Rachel loved her; she just didn't think she knew it or that she would accept it. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, shoot," Quinn pulled back slightly to look at Rachel.

"You told me in the car how you told your parents that you were gay but you didn't say that you told them about me,"

"My Dad told me to tell him if I ever got together with anyone, and he said that as long as I told him, he'd be all right with it," Quinn paused, "so I thought that if there was any chance of us being together, I should just tell him then so he'd be less likely to say it was a phase, you know?" Rachel nodded, "So I told him and he said if we ever did get together, all I need to do is tell him."

"You don't think he'll try to split us up do you?"

"No, if I know anything, I know my Dad. If he was going to do that, he would have done something about it when I told him, not wait until now," the diva nodded again smiling, "I think I should ring him though and tell him where I am, he might worry,"

"Good idea," she smiled and Quinn tapped one of her legs indicating for her to move, "you can use our phone if you want,"

"No need, I'll just ring here, is that OK?"

"Sure," Quinn got her phone out of her jean pocket and dialled the well known number immediately. It rang twice before her Dad picked up the phone.

_"Quinn?"_

"Yes, Dad it's me,"

_ "Where are you?"_

"Can you remember that girl I told you about? The one I said I liked but I didn't think anything was going to happen with her?"

_ "Yeah," _his voice was chilled, as she thought it would be, but she did think he'd have more questions to ask.

"Well we've been out tonight, and I'm staying at hers tonight, so I won't be coming to your house, OK?"

_ "OK Quinn, remember what we said, about God," _his voice stayed calm and controlled, he didn't seem in the least bit mad or even concerned.

"Yes Dad,"

_ "Right, well that's OK then. You know what you're getting yourself into. Can I talk to her?"_

"You... want to... talk... to Rachel?" the brunette's head snapped up to look Quinn in the eye with a frightened look on her face, she'd heard stories about this guy, about how he'd treated Finn, what was he going to do to her?

_ "Please," _Quinn looked to Rachel with an unsure look on her face but Rachel nodded, she needed to know she at least tried to get on with Quinn's father so the blonde passed her girlfriend the phone and grabbed onto her hand stroking the back of it affectionately, _"hello, Rachel,"_

_ "_Hello, sir,"

_ "Please don't call me sir, Rachel, please, it's Russell,"_

_ "_Sorry, hello Russell," Quinn's eyes widened, she'd never heard anyone call her father 'Russell', apart from her mother, his new girlfriend and a couple of his golf friends. Well, she'd actually only heard his girlfriend call him 'Russ' but that's a different issue altogether.

_ "Look Rachel, I don't want to lose my daughter. Me and her mother were already failing before things happened with Quinny but I couldn't bare to lose my daughters no matter what happens, I was stupid enough to almost let it happen when she got pregnant. So, just promise me something,"_

"Anything, Russell, as long as I get to be with her, I'll promise you anything," Quinn couldn't help that Rachel's irrational habit of rambling was actually going to work with her father.

_ "Do you love her?"_

"I do, very much," her eyes started to well with tears, maybe the man really wasn't as bad as they all said, Quinn noticed the current state of her girlfriend and moved to sit behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist hugging her to give her support.

_ "Will you treat her well?"_

"I will," her voice began to fall a bit with the feeling of tears in her throat to which Quinn began rubbing her tummy affectionately and lay her head on her shoulder.

_ "Then Rachel, you have my blessing."_

"Thank you, Russell, thank you so much," Quinn was so close now that she had heard what her father said and to stop her bursting into tears too, she rubbed her head into the crook of Rachel's neck.

_ "Could we maybe meet? Like at dinner on Sunday."_

"I'd love too, but can I make a request please, if it's not too much trouble, sir,"

_"Rusell," _he laughed, which caught Quinn off guard, she couldn't remember the last time her father had laughed, _"and yes, Rachel, go on."_

"I'm a vegan, so maybe could I bring my own food?" Quinn couldn't help giggling at Rachel's question, funnily enough she didn't need to worry about that.

_"Ahh, no need for that, my girlfriend is vegan too, I'll ask her to buy twice as much what she normally does and make a meal for you too, is that all right?"_

"It's more than all right, Russell. Thank you so much, for this and everything with Quinn,"

_ "I just don't want to lose her. Anyway, you sound nicer than most guys your age I know. I'll see you Sunday Rachel, you tell Quinn what's happening, I need to get on with some work now." _He hung up the phone and on that, Rachel burst into tears and turned to see Quinn in the same state.

"He never even spoke to Finn like that, we were together months, you have a charm over people Rach,"

"I don't know what to say, I don't think anything could ruin my mood right now," she laughed before wiping her tears away and reached over to do the same for Quinn, "I love you Quinn Fabray,"

"I love you too, Rachel Berry."

After about twenty minutes sitting in front of the still empty pad, they heard a knock at the door. Rachel gave permission for whoever it was to come in and Leroy came in carrying two vegan hot chocolates. After putting them down on the desk, he perched on the end of the bed before turning to the two girls.

"I heard some crying happening before, and I didn't want to intrude but I thought maybe you could do with some hot chocolate? Mind you, Quinn, it is vegan and it _does _taste different," he winked and Rachel stood up to get the drinks.

"It's OK, I eat vegan stuff a lot, my Dad's girlfriend is vegan,"

"He just told me that," Rachel smiled and Leroy looked confused, "oh, that's why the crying happened."

"What did he say? What's he done?" his fatherly instincts kicked in and his laid back demeanour faded slightly for a moment.

"Nothing bad, Dad, calm down. He told me that he doesn't want to lose his daughters and that if I could love her and look after her, then he gave us his blessing,"

"His _blessing?_ Does he think you're getting married or something?" he joked, "No, I'm only kidding. That's great, but why were you crying if it's all good news?"

"Because it was good news and it made us happy,"

"I'll never understand women," he laughed and the girls did too. Quinn took a sip of her drink and smiled pleasantly, everything she'd tasted that was vegan had actually tasted really nice, she didn't think it'd be that hard to do it herself. Well, all apart from bacon...

"I'm going to dinner with them on Sunday, his girlfriend is going to make me something," Leroy nodded and smiled at them. He couldn't believe what had happened with his daughter in the past day. Just twenty four hours ago, she was still like a small timid girl with huge ambition but obvious confidence issues. Looking at her now engaging with this other girl who clearly made her feel special, you'd think she were years older. It made him like the blonde girl even more, that within a day she could change his daughter to seem to value herself more, Finn didn't even do that in months.

"Well, I'll leave you alone to your project, have fun writing girls,"

"Bye Dad,"

"Thanks Leroy," he didn't feel the need to ask why so he just nodded and walked out of the room leaving them to each other again. "We're never going to write this song if we keep talking about how people are going to react to 'us', so I say we write up a plan for that then we can move on to write the song, how about that?"

"I like it," Rachel nodded before writing 'Glee club' in the middle of the paper, "so, Kurt and Blaine,"

"Well, they're gay themselves, we both get on very well with them and there isn't really any reason for them to not react very well." Quinn paused thinking for a moment, "Well, unless Finn reacts badly and then it affects Kurt."

"I don't think Finn will react badly, he's got Poppy and we're still really good friends too so I think he'll be OK. Look, when he was with me, he got over you quite quickly, no offence though Q, baby,"

"No, I know. I think you're right. He and Poppy seem really happy together, I think it's good it's happened now he's happy or we might have some problems,"

"Well, I know that his problem of not getting sex from either of us has been fulfilled and he says he's in love with her so I guess he's going to be cool with it. Also, look how much he helped Santana with being outed,"

"So, we've decided that Blaine, Kurt and Finn will be all cool with it," Quinn laughed at Rachel's need to over analyse everything.

"Yes, and Santana and Brittany," she pulled an uncomfortable look and Quinn giggled again.

"They're fine. Santana is a big softy, she's just intimidating because she cares a lot about her friends. She told me lots of times to not tell you how I felt because I would get hurt, she thought you were straight so you would just end up rejecting me and she didn't want to have to actually hate you. It's the same with anything to do with Britt; when it come to us two, she just cares too much,"

"You make Santana sound almost _sweet," _

"Santana _is _sweet," she could hear in Quinn's voice that she was serious.

"OK, so Santana and Brittany will be fine, once they realise that we're serious. Right, what are we doing? We know the Glee club are all going to be fine. Let's be real though, that's not really what we're worried about is it?"

"No, I guess it's not," Quinn took another gulp from her drink, "you do know I don't care don't you? I don't care about what people think about me Rachel, I gave up the Cheerios so now Sue doesn't control me, it's not like I'm hugely popular any more or that I have any ambition of being that popular. I love you, and I want to be able to tell people that. Are you scared of other people?" Quinn looked to her girlfriend with vulnerable eyes.

"No, I thought maybe you might be affected by it. I don't know. You're so much more known than I am. That doesn't even make sense does it?"

"No, it doesn't but it's cute. So if we both don't care why don't we just go to bed?" they looked to the clock in unison and read that it wasn't even ten o'clock yet, "Or not. To be honest I just wanted an excuse to cuddle with you,"

"You don't need an excuse for that, do you want to put some music on?"

"Go for it," her eyebrow arched again which made Rachel giggle and put her iPod on shuffle, "I guess I'm going to have to get used to these showtunes aren't I?"

"That's what you get when you have me,"

"Then I will have to then, because you are not going anywhere,"

"I'm glad to hear it," They lay in each other's arms talking all night about everything from their childhood, to the Cheerios, to theatre, to football, to each other's dreams and only finishing when they both fell asleep fully clothed on the bed with a finished song on the pad in Rachel's hand.


	3. You Look Wonderful

It was Tuesday morning, just a mere two hours before the girls needed to be at school and Quinn Fabray woke with a slight start. Quickly regretting the sudden movement, she realised where she was. Brunette hair had fallen onto her arm and she began running her fingers through it delicately.

"Rach," she sing-songed quietly into her girlfriend's ear, "Rachy, come on wake up." The brunette showed no signs of waking, let alone getting up. Quinn sighed and moved her arm from where Rachel's head was resting causing the diva to stir slightly.

"Quinn?" the diva turned to face the blonde with tired eyes.

"Yes baby, it's me," she laughed looking at the smaller girl, trying to keep a laugh inside, "come on, we need to get up."

"Baby?" the girl's eyes lightened up and melted into the hazel ones gazing back to her.

"Yes," Quinn giggled, keeping her eyes glued on Rachel's, "is that all right?"

"Yes, I should think so," she wrapped her arm around the blonde's lean shoulders and hugged her in close before snuggling into her, delaying the getting-up process, "I love you,"

"I love you too, Rachy," Quinn's arm made it's way to the dip in the petite girls back and rubbed it gently.

"I just wanted to make sure that yesterday was real, I figured if it wasn't you'd run home,"

"Was me waking you and calling you 'Baby' not enough?"

"Yes, I just wanted to make certain, Q," the brunette kissed the exposed skin of Quinn's neck gently and sighed.

"I hate to brake up this lovely embrace but we need to get up,"

"No we don't, my alarm hasn't gone off yet,"

"You turned it off last night," Quinn giggled, "don't you remember?"

"No I don't. What time is it then?" she looked over to the clock on her bedside table, "What? Half six? Well there is no way I'm going to be able to do my work out this morning."

"Can't you rest one day? You look brilliant anyway, there's no need to overwork that cute little body of yours," the brunette laughed slightly before wiping her eyes to discard the painful sleep embedded there.

"You need clothes," Rachel stated looking at Quinn in the same clothes she had on the previous day.

"I'm slightly offended by that, Rach," the pair giggled, "no you're right, I'll drive to my house, get changed and be back here to take us to school?"

"Do you have to go? Do _we _have to go?" Quinn laughed at Rachel's child-like pleas, "Why don't I come with you home and then we'll go to school then? We can have breakfast here before we go?"

"All right then, I'm sure we could do that," the blonde laughed and rolled out of bed swinging her legs over the side before stretching. She hadn't had that nice of a sleep since the first night she stayed with Mercedes when she was pregnant. After nights of sleeping in Puck's uncomfortable bed, the change to the other girl's bed had been lovely and she'd been out like a light the very first night. It was something else that was the cause of this night sleep though, of course the Berry's had given Rachel one of the best mattresses Quinn had ever slept on, but the main reason of her lovely sleep was being able to hug the girl she'd been admiring secretly for so long. It had sent her into a constant state of bliss she thought nobody could tear through and she wasn't even the least bit scared about what school would bring. She stayed sitting there while Rachel showered and came back in wearing only a towel which was enough to drive her crazy. She tried as hard as she could to sit still and watch Rachel pick out an outfit, deciding on whether to go for a pink or blue dress for the 'coming out announcement to the Glee club', "Rachel, you look lovely in either. It doesn't matter what the other people say and no offence sweetie, but the colour of your dress isn't going to change their reaction."

"I know, I just want to look nice when you tell them I'm your girlfriend. I don't want you to be standing there in all your beautiful while I'm just looking like a sack of Jewish potatoes. That's just not something I want to be doing," she looked to Quinn who had a small grin on her face and shook her head slightly.

"You won't look like a sack of potatoes, it doesn't matter what you wear Rach, you'll always look great,"

"You're being very sweet, Quinn,"

"Isn't that what you're supposed to do with your girlfriend?" she stood up and walked over to Rachel, wrapping her arms around her petite waist when she got there and pulling her in close enough so she could smell her freshly washed hair. The towel started to fall slightly to which Rachel laughed and pulled it up more securely to which Quinn looked at her disapprovingly and said, "I think it wants to fall down."

"I think you want it to fall down," Rachel winked and walked back to the wardrobe, picking up the pink dress and cream cardigan, "I also think I want it to, too," she whispered into the blonde's ear before exiting the room to get changed in the bathroom.

"And I think you're trying to kill me," Quinn said to herself before sitting down on the bed again trying to calm herself down. She decided to pick up her phone and turn it back on, "ten new messages?" Santana. They were all telling her to call her asap, that she wanted to know what happened with 'Berry'. She clicked the green button and hoped her friend would be nice.

_"Q! What the hell happened last night? First all I can see is you two being all gooey eyed and creepy and then you're leaving with a massive case of horny-face," _charming, Santana, thought Quinn.

"Hello Santana, I'm going to ignore most of the things you just said and tell you that I now have a girlfriend,"

_"Did you just say the G word?" _

"Yes I did,"

_"And haven't you even stopped to think about what this is going to do to you Quinn? How she might hurt you, leave you, take one look at Frankenteen and run back to him? And what about your Dad, Quinn, I know you said he'd accept you and everything but you don't know that, maybe when it comes to it, he's just the same bigoted homophone. And your Mom, oh Quinn what have you done?"_

"I've done what I've wanted to do for a year Santana, I'm taking control of what I want. We've spoken to my Dad and he's fine. We're going to dinner on Sunday and he's given us his blessing. As for my Mother, we're going to see her now and I'm fairly certain she'll be all right with it, please calm down, Sanny," Santana sighed in relief and chuckled slightly at her friend's explanation.

_"Sorry, guess I jumped too soon. You know me, I just don't want to see you get hurt. And I guess that if Berry is willing to put the 'girlfriend' label on the two of you, then she really is serious about it all. I'm really happy for you Q,"_

"I'm really happy for me too," the pair laughed and Quinn smiled contently, "I love you Santana,"

_"I love you too Q," _Quinn heard something coming from Britt on the other end of the phone, "_oh and Britt says she loves you as well. And Berry, apparently she liked her headband song,"_

"Her name is Rachel, Santana. Tell Britt I'll let her know she liked the song," Brittany shouted a thank you and Santana laughed her dopey laugh that only sounded for Brittany. Quinn wondered if she and Rachel would have any cute exchanges like that, she thought maybe you had to be around each other more before those developed.

_"Good luck with Momma F, I'm sure once she hears that your Dad's all right, she will be too," _the Latina grinned into her phone as Brittany started drawing stars on her back with her finger, _"we'd better get going now then, Q, see you at school," _

"Bye San, Britt," Quinn smiled and hung up the phone only seconds before Rachel walked back into the room and sat down in her lap, "you," she paused wrapping her arms around her middle, "look wonderful,"

"Thank you, Quinnie," she bent down to kiss her blonde locks, "breakfast?"

Once the pair had enjoyed breakfast with Hiram and Leroy, they left the house ready to stop in at Quinn's house. In the car they talked about Quinn's mother, Judy Fabray and Quinn revealed about her problem with alcohol. Rachel couldn't imagine what Quinn's life had been like. From what she'd heard of her parents, she must have had a very difficult upbringing, only being good if she did as she was told all the time. Of course, in the Berry household, there was a need for respect but Rachel could tell that in the Fabray house, respect was a very different thing.

"She's getting better. Since the divorce, she's not drinking as much but she has her good days and her bad days," Quinn turned the corner into a clearly expensive neighbourhood, "she loves me, and my sister and even my father but sometimes she's in a world of her own. The only time she was happy with me was when I performed in the Cheerios, on stage, and then when I came out to her,"

"She was happy when you came out to her?"

"Yeah, she said that she knew something else was wrong and it wasn't just to do with the baby. I didn't think she would have noticed anything, obviously she did, and she said that she was happy I could be honest with her," Rachel nodded, it made sense. If she had a child and she could tell they were keeping something from her, it's only natural that you'd be happy when they came clean about everything. The rest of the journey was spent talking about Quinn's childhood and quickly moved on to her sister, Frannie. Quinn told Rachel about how close her and her sister used to be, Frannie had also been a cheerleader and was an incredibly gifted dancer. However, as soon as Frannie married she'd changed, she hardly saw her family any more and Quinn was cynical about it all. She saw it as an escape, an escape from the family that had kept her so tied down with religion and routine. She doubted her husband was as Christian as he made out but said she didn't blame her sister for what she did, _she_ planned to near enough do the same.

"Except for the whole marrying a man part," Rachel laughed trying to lighten the mood a bit, which she seemed to be successful in doing.

"Yes, apart from that. But recently I'm thinking, if everything with my Dad does go well, then what's the point in leaving right away? I should go to college and make something of myself, not just marry the first wealthy man I meet," she paused, "I shouldn't say that. Frannie does love Cooper, it was just convenient for her to marry him, I guess. Right, here we are," she pulled the while monster onto the huge drive only occupied by one other car, a much smaller car. Rachel looked up to the house and felt like her chin was on the floor, "don't be intimidated by the size of the house, it's just one small alcoholic woman in there,"

"Is that supposed to make me less anxious?" Rachel joked looking to the blonde next to her, "I'm kidding, Q, it's a very nice house, and a nice car too,"

"That's my Mom's. Not that she drives it much any more," she quipped before opening the door and hopping out of the car. Rachel did the same and then waited for Quinn to walk around to her side. They laced their fingers together and Quinn opened the front door with a key she had hooked on the ring with her car keys, "Mom?"

"Quinnie? Oh Quinnie is that you?"

"It's me Mom, where are you?" the couple walked into what seemed to be a living room and looked around, no one appeared to be in there but a voice could be heard coming from further into the house, "I think she's in the kitchen," Quinn said to Rachel and they continued to walk through. Surely enough, in the kitchen was Judy Fabray nursing a glass of wine in her hand and a bottle in the other.

"Drink sweetie?" a very drunk Judy said, holding out the bottle to Quinn.

"No thanks Mom, and maybe you shouldn't either,"

"I'm fine, Quinnie, who's this?" she looked at Rachel smiling friendlily, "Oh, is it a _girl_friend?"

"Mom, this is Rachel," Judy's eyes widened and she nodded knowingly, clearly Quinn had spoken to her about her too, "I stayed at hers last night and I just need to change into some clean clothes before we go to school,"

"That's fine Quinnie. Do you want to go and get changed and I'll talk to pretty little Rachel here?" Judy smiled at her daughter and Quinn turned to Rachel as though she were asking if it'd be all right if she did that. Rachel nodded, thinking it'd be a good idea to know that she'd spoken to both of Quinn's parents before going to school. Quinn gave Rachel a quick peck on the cheek and walked out of the kitchen briskly, "Do you want a drink Rachel? A non alcoholic one I mean,"

"No, thank you, it's all right Mrs Fabray," Rachel smiled and it was returned by Judy, "it's very nice to meet you,"

"It's nice to meet you too, Rachel, Quinn's told me so much about you. She says she loves you," Rachel smiled at the woman's clear drunken honesty, "I can see why, you're very pretty. Very pretty. Like Quinnie, do you think she is pretty?"

"I think Quinn is very beautiful," Judy smiled at Rachel and sat down in a chair.

"I'm sorry you had to meet me like this. If I knew you were coming I wouldn't have been so drunk," she shrugged her shoulders, "do you want something from me Rachel? Something to do with Quinn, anything I can help you with at all?"

"The only think I ask of you is that you let me love her,"

"I can do that," she smiled, "you know, before I met Russell I was never homophobic at all. My brother is gay you know, yeah, and one of the cheerleaders at school was gay too but she never told anybody, only me and I never told anyone either. I don't hate gay people, Rachel, and I don't think Russell does really either, he just puts on this super-Christian front to make people scared of him, don't you be scared of him Rachel," Judy kept smiling at the brunette and Rachel couldn't help smiling back at her. Before she knew it, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see Quinn looked down at her.

"Did you hear any of that?" she asked the blonde and she nodded wrapping her arms around her shoulder's and smiling at her mother, "Are you ready?"

"Yes I am, how do I look?" she did a little twirl for Rachel.

"You look wonderful baby," Rachel stood up and laced their fingers together again before looking down to Judy who had tears in her eyes.

"You two are adorable, now go to school or you'll be late," it was the most motherly thing Quinn had heard her say in about five years. The couple said goodbye to Judy and walked out of the house hand in hand once again.

They arrived at school, surprisingly, with half an hour to spare. It was so strange to arrive here so open about their feelings for each other when only a day before, they were no where near this state in their relationship. Quinn spotted Puck waiting at her locker like he did every morning only this time he was smiling like a real dork, his eyes glued on their intertwined fingers. They approached him cautiously, his smile only growing larger as Rachel began to blush beetroot red.

"Oh Fabray, how long have you waited and now, finally, you have your little nutcracker," he pinched Rachel's nose playfully to which she pulled back slightly confused.

"Nutcracker?" Rachel asked looking up to Quinn.

"That's," she seemed reluctant to explain, "a bit of an inside joke."

"She had a dream about you dressed up as a nutcracker and ever since that is how I have chosen to refer to you," Puck smiled and high fived Quinn as she felt her romantic level with Rachel go down. Why did Puck have to chose that to call her?

"I might have to hear about this dream," the brunette winked to Quinn and then it was her turn to turn red, "so yes Puckerman, as you may have guessed already, Quinn and I are official. If you could do us a favour though, maybe you could not tell any of the Glee members yet? We want to tell them at practice,"

"_She _wants to tell them at practice," Quinn teased, playing with Rachel's dainty fingers, "I don't know how we're going to keep it a secret that long, baby, news travels fast in this place,"

"Well, we can try," she stated and Puck nodded, agreeing to not tell anyone and made an excuse to meet up with Finn to discuss some game that was coming up on the following Saturday. The couple hung around Quinn's locker long enough to witness a feisty Latina's argument with some hockey player, with three other idiot morons surrounding him, ending in Santana screaming something in Spanish and turning their slushies back to all of them, catching them off guard, and stormed off towards Quinn and Rachel being closely followed by Brittany.

"Girls," she spoke nonchalantly, "how are you on this fine day?"

"Very well done, Santana," Rachel referred to the slushing they had just witnessed, "I'm impressed,

"Oh thank goodness, I impressed Berry, now I will rest peacefully in my bed tonight,"

"But tonight is Tuesday, you'll do no resting of the sort," said the taller blonde, causing the Latina to blush slightly. Although other people may have thought the blonde was being stupid, Santana and Quinn knew she was doing it solely to embarrass her girlfriend, she'd fully understood what Santana meant by saying that to Rachel.

"Be nice Santana," Quinn warned, "now she's my sweet Berry, you need to learn to like her,"

"'My sweet Berry', oh please don't make me puke up my breakfast, it tasted bad enough the first time," a disgusted look came onto Santana's face and Brittany draped her arm on her shoulders before pecking her nose lightly.

"Stop it Sanny, please, for me," Rachel and Quinn couldn't help but laugh at the couple in front of them, they both knew the other's weakness and could use it so easily against them. Rachel couldn't decide if she found it sly and conniving or simply adorable.

"OK Britt, but only for you," she looked to the other couple, analysing them silently, "but I'm still calling you Berry. Not necessarily always in a mean way, I just need to do that, OK?"

"That's fine Santana," the diva nodded and Quinn shook her head in amusement at the couple in front of her. They were the two people she'd been friends with since she could speak, the two people she knew would end up together since their first Cheer-Camp when they were only twelve, the two people who had helped her realise everything about herself and love as a whole more than anyone else had helped her with anything before. To those two people she owed a lot, and she tried to never let them forget how much she loved them. It was also part of the reason she defended Santana's abrasive behaviour so much, she simply loved her.

Classes that day flew by, it definitely helped Rachel having Quinn in some of the classes with her, as soon as they were asked to pair up with someone, they had to stop themselves sprinting to each other and as they worked together, the work seemed to turn into far more like fun than work. Before they knew it, it was time for Glee practice and Rachel realised that she was in fact very nervous, what if Finn wasn't totally over everything? What if having two of his ex girlfriends now in a relationship, with each other, proved to be too much for him? However, all her fears quickly vanished when she saw Quinn waiting for her next to her locker.

"Are you as scared as I am right now?" the blonde greeted her, only making her more nervous, "I think I'm more scared now than I was telling my Dad. My Dad!"

"It'll be all right, I'm sure of it," Rachel stuffed all her books into her quickly overflowing locker and turned to face the girl next to her, "besides, we know at least three people who are supportive, and I'm sure that'll be enough for now if the others react badly, which I'm sure they won't anyway," Quinn nodded and wrapped her arm loosely around Rachel's back. They walked to the choir room chattering about their day. As they entered, they noticed everyone's head snap back to the door and their eyes lay on them, Finn included, with a lot of smiles.

"I'm sorry, I thought people knew already," the Latina explained straight away and the room erupted into laughter.

"I told her not to say anything, I really did Q. Santana doesn't listen to anyone. Not even me," Brittany huffed and sighed as she sat down in her chair.

"Hey Britt, yes I do listen to you. I just thought people knew," she turned her gaze from her girlfriend to Quinn and Rachel in the doorway, "so I asked where you were."

"What you said was, 'Where's Quinn and Berry, are they off macking somewhere or what?'" the ever-dapper Blaine chipped in laughing at the clearly embarrassed couple still standing in the doorway, "Well come in, we're not going to eat you."

"No, we'll leave that for you to do to each other," laughed Finn with a huge smile on his face, "I know you must have wondered how I'd take it, well I'm all right. Yeah it's a bit weird but I guess it explains the lack of sex from either of you. You know, there was a time in our relationship, Rachel, where I thought you had a thing against Quinn besides the fact that she was my ex and now I'm thinking you actually had a crush on her. Sorry, I'll shut up, but yeah. It'll take some getting used to, but I'm fine."

"Oh thank goodness, Finn. I wasn't sure how you'd take it, I'm so glad you're all right," Finn nodded at the small girl's gush of thanks with a genuine smile, although he didn't like to think it, he'd never seen her that happy in all the time he was with her, "I hope it's not _too _weird for you."

"I think I expected it," he shrugged and Mr Schue then looked to the pair, "anyway, I have Poppy now, and I don't think I've ever been happier. It's only right that all three of us find who we're supposed to be with, and I really do hope you've found it in each other. You're good girls, both of you."

"If we get one more couple forming in this group we should consider changing our name to 'New Relations'," he attempted a joke which was only really appreciated by Artie who laughed slightly next to Sugar who looked at him as if he were crazy, something that had become a normal exchange between them, "sit down then girls, let's get caught up on the assignment for this week." the couple sat down in the front row and Rachel lay her hand on Quinn's looking at each other.

"We're gonna be good aren't we?" the smaller girl asked quietly with a beaming smile on her face.

"Yeah, baby, we're gonna be good," Quinn smiled and then directed her attention to Mr Schue giving Rachel's hand a light, but noticeable and comforting, squeeze.

"Have any of you finished your song yet?"

"We have Mr Schue," Rachel's hand shot up, traditional Rachel Berry style only to gain a sign from Quinn, "but we haven't rehearsed yet. Can we go another time?"

"Yes, Rachel, that'll be fine. Has anyone finished anything for us to hear _today?"_ his eyes gazed around the room until he met the gaze of Puck.

"Mr Schue? I think we're done," Puck looked to Santana to see if she agreed with him, she nodded approvingly and they both stood up. Making his way to the guitar stand, Puck handed the lyrics to Santana just in case she needed them. Evidently, she didn't as she placed them immediately on the piano. She blew a kiss to Brittany who smiled softly at her girlfriend before the intro started on the sweet strings of the guitar. The song was most definitely the best Rachel had heard that had been written by someone in the club, much better than even that of her own. It was clear what the message was and she guessed fairly confidently that Santana had written the lyrics. Never taking her eyes off Brittany, Santana sang faultlessly and every word she said hit Brittany right in the heart. People called her stupid and had once said she wasn't clever enough to understand the feelings she had for the beautiful Latina she now called her girlfriend, but Brittany could understand what Santana was saying in the song, what Santana was trying to tell her in front of all their friends. It was nothing short of a promise to stay with her, that every struggle she might face, Brittany would be the only thing that would calm and soothe her. Once the pair had finished and the last chord on the guitar was strum, the room was in tears and Brittany stood up, made her way over to Santana and fell helplessly into her arms. She clung onto the Latina whispering "I love you" into her ear over and over and nobody had the heart to tear them apart. It wasn't often that Santana let her guard down, especially when it came to music, and everyone, Mr Schue included, thought this was all part of the experience for the couple and for the club. Quinn couldn't help but cuddle the little diva into her more, whispering the same into her ear to which the smaller girl shivered slightly. Rachel had never felt this type of emotion, the emotion Santana had sung about, she wondered if it was something that came in time. Once a cynic about love, Rachel was never usually quick to say "I love you" and yet here she was, only a day after she learned about Quinn's crush on her, feeling things she'd never felt before. She _did _love Quinn and there was something inside her telling her that she'd known it all along. Thinking back to what Finn said before she wondered if she had loved Quinn for that long, and if that was why she felt so comfortable saying it out loud. Maybe that's why it didn't freak her out. Whatever it was, and whatever it would be, Rachel sat there in the arms of the blonde with tears running down her face, keeping her eyes glued to the two people who meant so much to her girlfriend and the love she could see between them, she could feel was also growing just as strong in her heart.


	4. Best Kiss Ever

"Quinn, please can we go over the song again?"

"Rach,"

"Hey now, you were the one who said it'd be better if it sang it as a duet, remember?"

"Of course I remember, I was the one who said it, remember?"

"Oh, sorry. No need to get snappy," she walked over and tapped the blonde on the nose lightly before laughing and taking a seat in her lap, "I could just sing it solo if you want?"

"Now, now, don't try and play your games with me Miss Berry. I want to sing with you, I do. Hell, the song is about _us, _so it'd make no sense for you to sing it alone. I just think it already sounds perfect the way it is so why do we need to practice even more?"

"Practise makes perfect, baby," Rachel giggled and gave her a peck on the cheek, "but I understand what you're saying, we _do_ sound perfect already; we can stop if you want to."

"Thank you," the blonde laughed wrapping her arms tighter around the petite girl and nestling her face in her neck, "so, now we're done with that, what could we possibly do now?"

"I have no idea," she managed to say through sighing from the blonde's delicate touch, "Quinn, my Dads are downstairs."

"I never suggested we do anything we wouldn't do if they were in" she nestled her head down slightly so it was resting on Rachel's chest, "never suggested _anything._" the brunette sighed contently and giggled to herself, "What's so funny?"

"I was thinking about how you can make me feel these unbelievable things just by doing _this _when Finn couldn't get anything like this from me whilst doing, well, _other_ things," Quinn laughed along and looked up to Rachel smiling at her. She'd never had thought she'd be here with her, or that they'd be getting ready to go for a meal with her father in less than two hours. They already had their outfits planned and had been hung up carefully at Quinn's house ready to be changed into, if they ever managed to leave Rachel's room. Hiram and Leroy had quickly got into the habit of knocking on the door before entering, not that they really had anything to worry about walking in on. Although Quinn had no doubts that if it were a boy either one of them were dating, they would have kissed by now, she felt that with Rachel she didn't want to rush into anything. With Rachel, things were special and she didn't want to run the risk of ruining anything, she also wanted to make sure that their first _everything _was perfect, she didn't want anything to be something that would become easily forgotten.

"There are a lot of things I can do that Finn can't,"

"Yeah?" Rachel looked intrigued, "Any more examples?"

"Dance, read, count to a hundred,"

"Quinnie, that's mean," Rachel said even though she made no attempt of stopping the laughter coming out, "no, but seriously, I'm really happy. With you, I mean."

"That's good because I'm really happy too. Are you not freaked out that it hasn't even been a week yet and we're already attached at the hip. If we're not careful we'll turn into San and Britt, or worse, Kurt and Blaine."

"We could never turn into Santana and Brittany, for one we're not addicted to sex like they are." the brunette rolled her eyes at the blonde, "and I don't think I'd mind being around you all the time. However, if you're finding my company annoying-"

"Now, I didn't say that did I? I asked _you _if _you _were freaked out, I love spending time with you Rach."

"Well, I'm not freaked out, I love spending time with you too. Especially when you don't refuse to sing with me," she stuck out her tongue and laughed while Quinn rolled her eyes and nodded.  
>"OK then, one more time. But <em>only<em> one more time, you got that?"

"Got it," she jumped up, kissed her on the cheek again and started the music on the computer again for them to sing along with. The song they'd finished the first night they spent together was pretty short but it was all the things they'd been feeling that night, cute and romantic without being over the top. The two of their voices sounded perfect together, partially due to Rachel having perfectly worked out all the harmonies and movement of the song, something Quinn didn't thoroughly understand but thoroughly appreciated. Although she seemed hesitant to perform, Quinn loved singing with Rachel. There was something about watching her get so into a song that Quinn couldn't quite describe, or understand, she seemed to almost lose something about her, and gain a completely new part. The part that truly made her Rachel, it also was the part of her that made Quinn fall for her in the first place. Her thoughts went back to Regionals the previous year, back to when she finally accepted she was in love with Rachel no matter how much she wished she wasn't. '_What can you do when your good isn't good enough and that you touch crumbles down?' _ Although she knew Rachel had written the song about Finn, she couldn't help but think it could apply to their relationship, and friendship, at the time. It didn't matter how many times she tried to reach out to Rachel, she always ended up ruining it somehow and even though she liked to think it was because she was still in love with Finn and was jealous of Rachel, she found out in the listening of that very song that it was the other way around. She was in fact in love with Rachel.

On the way to Quinn's house, Rachel began to panic. What if Russell had changed his mind about everything since Tuesday? He hadn't been back in contact with Quinn after all, and no matter how much her girlfriend tried to convince her that next to no contact was normal with her father, Rachel couldn't help but think the worst. The only thing getting her though it was Quinn's adorable sense of where Rachel was at and the way she made jokes about everything to take her mind off her worries.

They were greeted, as they always were when they went to Quinn's, very excitedly by Judy and no matter how misleading the woman's attitude was, Quinn had told Rachel that she had been drinking less when she knew the two of them would be around, this was something Rachel not only appreciated but was surprised at and she couldn't help but think back to her relationship with other boys; she'd never even met Jesse's parents, and although Carole had been pleasant to Rachel, she never really seemed to make an effort to talk to her. As they made their excuses to go and get ready, Quinn walked up the stairs first as this was the first time Rachel had ever been anywhere other than the living room and kitchen.

"This way," she said quietly taking Rachel by the hand and leading her towards a room right at the bottom of the hall.

"How many rooms are there up here Q?" Rachel looked down the hall with a shocked expression on her face, "You could house the whole Glee club and the Cheerios on this floor alone. You're not telling me there are more rooms up there?" she motioned towards the other set of stairs that could be seen.

"Apparently when you have two children you need an eight room house," Quinn shrugged, "I know it's silly but that's what my Dad used to be about, extravagance."

"Used to be?"

"Wait until you see where he's living now. Sure, it's nice, but it's not the Ritz if you know what I'm saying. And it's not like he's short on cash; he could easily afford another house like this, he just doesn't seem as into it as he used to be. It's his girlfriend, I'm sure of it." Rachel nodded and followed the other girl into her room. It was beautiful, pale green and white walls with appropriately coloured décor. No matter how much she wanted to appreciate the rest of the room, Rachel's eyes fell onto the double bed and its satin looking sheets. Quinn smirked as she noticed what Rachel was looking at and sat down on the bed and looked to her, "You can sit if you want to."

"I don't know if I could, it's so pretty," the blonde shook her head and patted the place next to her, indicating for the girl to sit down, "I love you."

"I love you too," Rachel sat down and got lost in the hazel eyes before her, she could feel her heart rate begin to rise as Quinn's mouth formed into a perfectly shaped smile. The blonde lay her hand on Rachel's knee and pulled her up graciously to sit on top of her as the other girl moved some hair out of Quinn's eyes. They say there a moment, just looking at each other and smiling. Gaining a sudden burst of confidence from out of nowhere, Rachel tilted her head to the side and leaned in to the blonde's mouth to which she reciprocated the movement allowing Rachel full access straight away. The brunette felt her heart beat even harder, sure that the other girl must be able to feel it through the thin layers of fabric of their tops while Quinn immediately felt stupid for not initiating a kiss earlier; no matter how much Santana told her about what her first kiss with a girl, any girl, would feel like, she didn't know she was missing out on this much. And this wasn't just any girl, this was Rachel. As she began to struggle for breath, Rachel pulled back and looked at the flustered girl beneath her.

"Quinn?" she spoke quietly, smiling like a child on Christmas.

"Rach?" Quinn giggled, looking up at the girl.

"That was our first kiss,"

"I know, I had it too," she winked to which Rachel giggled even more, "it was pretty good right?"

"Very, best kiss ever."

"Best kiss ever." Quinn agreed and leaned in again to place a chaste, but equally satisfying, kiss onto Rachel's lips as she trailed her fingers up and down the brunette's arms gaining a sigh.

"I love you," Rachel breathed out and lay their foreheads together as the two of them smiled. Quinn didn't reply, she didn't see the need to. All she wanted was that moment together, just for them and the silence. After sitting together a while, Quinn rolled her hands onto Rachel's thighs and earned a soft moan and she laughed.

"I think we need to get ready," they looked to the clock on the wall. Half four.

_ "_Yes I think we do too."


	5. You Know I Want To

"It's very nice to meet you too, Sir," Rachel stuck her hand out for the older man to shake, which he did with a small smile on his face.

"I told you to call me Russell, Rachel,"

"OK, it's very nice to meet you Russell Rachel," she giggled and felt Quinn snake her arm around her waist discretely enough for her father not to notice. Russell laughed at the petite girl too and nodded towards the brunette woman in the corner of the room.

"This is my girlfriend, Vanessa," Quinn couldn't help but think that he father's new laid back attitude was influenced by the woman he'd just introduced.

"Hello, Rachel, Russ tells me you're vegan too," she smiled and gave Rachel a rather unexpected hug, causing Quinn to pull her arm out of its place and laugh at the woman she was beginning to really like, "I'm so glad we're going to be seeing more of you then, there's enough meat being eaten in this apartment as it is." Rachel laughed and looked at the girl who had just hugged her, she couldn't possibly be the same age as Russell, but she was definitely a decent amount older than her. Noticing blue streaks running through her jet black hair, and a tattoo that started at the top of her right shoulder, she smiled at her and looked to Russell who was hugging his daughter lovingly. Something inside her heart grew a little, she knew how much this moment meant to Quinn, the acceptance she really needed from her father was all in that hug and she didn't want either of them to pull away. Quinn hugged her father tighter and felt a tear leave one of her eyes as she clenched them together not wanting any more to appear. As the pair parted, she turned her head to Rachel who was smiling at her widely. Walking over to her girlfriend, she grabbed her hand and looked back up to her father who she noticed had tears in his eyes also. Wanting to break the tension as quickly as possible, she let out an awkward laugh and spoke up.

"So what's for dinner?"

As Quinn expected, Rachel had no problems conversing with her Dad and Vanessa. In fact, she probably spoke more than Quinn did which was something the blonde found incredibly amusing. Half way through a conversation about Sectionals the previous year, Quinn felt a foot brush up her leg. Shooting a glance to Rachel, who was sitting in front of her, she was greeted by a smirk which confirmed her assumption that it was the diva who was teasing her. Rachel kept up her talk with Russell about performing and particularly Barbra Streisand with faultless composure while Quinn was beginning to lose concentration on the simple task of eating her steak. As Rachel's foot slowly made its way further up Quinn's leg, the blonde flushed a dark red, earning concerned glances from the older couple.

"Are you alright Quinnie?" the blonde nodded and looked up to Rachel who was clearly fighting a laugh as she lowered her foot and arched her eyebrow suggestively.

"Yeah Quinn, are you sure?" Rachel said quietly.

"I'm fine, it's just a little hot in here," she winked slyly at her girlfriend and the subject was dropped.

"So girls, I hate to ask the obvious question but when did you two get together. I mean, I know when Quinn told me about you but that was months ago, and I know when you, Quinn, phoned me the other day saying you were staying with Rachel but when did things really happen?"

"Honestly it was the day Quinn rang you," Rachel lifted some more of the coconut and tofu curry to her mouth.

"So when did you realise you were gay, or bisexual, or whatever?"

"That day," the young couple giggled as Russell looked confused, "well, that was when it really came to my attention but I'd known for years that something wasn't right with me and boys. It just took Quinn to make me fully understand what it was," Vanessa began to laugh and Rachel realised how what she'd just said could have been taken, "oh no, no, oh no, I didn't mean it like that," Quinn laughed at her and reached out to take her hand and rub it reassuringly.

"It's OK Rachel, I know you didn't mean it like that," came from Russell as he looked to Vanessa who was still struggling for breath.

"So you didn't have any ideas you were gay before Quinnie told you how she felt?" he pressed.

"Daddy, stop it," warned Quinn, if it wasn't enough that he'd grilled the girl on her life and ambitions, now she was being questioned about things that Quinn wasn't really sure the brunette would be ready to talk about.

"No Quinn, it's alright. I guess I haven't really explained all of this to you either," Quinn looked confused and she willed for the diva to carry on, "Well, when you and the others went to the hospital when you-"

"When I had Beth," Quinn jumped in, knowing that Rachel wasn't sure how to talk about that whole situation.

"Yes, and I stayed to watch Vocal Adrenaline, I didn't stay because I cared more about the competition, or that I cared less about you than the others. Quite the opposite in fact, I cared too much. I didn't want to see you in pain, the physical pain and the pain I knew you'd have emotionally when deciding to keep her not.," the blonde tilted her head and looked into Rachel's eyes as she told her story, "I also, selfishly, didn't want to see either Finn or Puck with you when I knew, even though I didn't really understand why, I knew that I wanted to be with you, to comfort you and hold you."

"I had no idea," Quinn blinked through tears. Rachel immediately felt guilty for upsetting Quinn, she knew that using another example would have been a smarter idea but it was truthfully the first time she'd known she loved her. Mentally kicking herself she decided to tone down her affections slightly, at least for now.

"Well that's when I think I was aware of my feelings for you, but I never thought I was gay. I was happy in relationships with boys but the thing that was missing was that which I had with you. I know it doesn't make much sense but it makes sense in my mind," she shrugged and finally looked up to the three people who were still staring at her. Quinn had tears falling down her face, Russell wasn't far off and Vanessa kind of just, well, stared at her.

"Right Russ I think it's time you stopped with the interrogations now," she laughed, trying to lighten the mood, "Quinn are you alright?"

"I just had no idea. I feel so stupid, why did it take us from then to now to admit everything?"

"Well, no matter, we're here now right?"

"Yeah, we are," she squeezed her hand and then let go before walking around the table to give her girlfriend a chaste kiss.

They left Russell and Vanessa's apartment after a couple of hours filled with a lot lighter conversation than that at the dinner table. All of Rachel's fears about the acceptance of Russell Fabray had crumbled away when he gave the two of them a kiss on the forehead and a hug. Finally, Rachel felt like she was a real part of something, of a family other than her fathers, and it was unbelievable to her and to Quinn that the family included Russell Fabray. Walking down the hall of the building, Quinn grabbed onto Rachel's hand and pulled her so she was walking closer to her.

"I really, really love you," she breathed into the smaller girl's ear, "but I really hate when you wind me up under the table. Do you understand that?"

"Oh yes," she replied in a hasty voice, the feel of Quinn's breath tickled her neck and made her insides melt.

"I can't believe you managed to talk to my Dad like that,"

"Oh and winding someone up in a hallway in your father's building isn't just as bad at all is it?" the blonde snapped her vision to lock onto Rachel's with a smirk, "and like what?"

"Like, so easily. Even my mother couldn't talk to him like that," she shook her head in disbelief, "it's like you're a magician or something."

"Oh you have _no _idea," she winked again and started laughing, there was no hiding her sarcasm even if it did make Quinn want to rip her clothes off right there and then. They made it back to Quinn's house still fully clothed which, in Quinn's mind anyway, registered as an accomplishment. Walking into the house they imagined they'd greeted by Judy but to their surprise, they noticed a note on the coffee table.

_This might seem a silly thing to write on a PostIt note but I haven't had a drink all day and I think I'm going to have an early night. Hope the dinner went well. Love you girls. _

"She hasn't had a drink," the blonde shook her head and looked to Rachel, "all day!"

"Sorry to sound stupid, but I'm guessing this isn't a regular occurrence,"

"No, she hasn't not had a drink all day in., well since I can remember. Even when Frannie and I were little, she'd always be drunk. I'm actually quite worried, have we ran out or something?" They entered the kitchen to see it was spotless, there weren't any empty bottles, dishes or even any glasses out. It was clear that she'd spent her sober day tidying and Quinn noticed that the room they'd just been in was in the same state. Walking over to the calender, she checked the day the cleaner came, yes definitely Wednesdays, there hadn't been a visit from her either. This was all her mom. In the drink cupboard, everything was still there, so she did have the opportunity. Rachel followed Quinn to the cupboard as she thought she'd seen another PostIt on the door. She had.

_Do this for Quinn. _

"Where do you keep the glasses?" Rachel asked and Quinn pointed to another cupboard to which Rachel walked over to. Inside, there was another note.

_Quinn needs you to stop being stupid. Grow up. _Rachel read out the note and Quinn, for the third time that day, had tears in her eyes.

"I can't believe she's doing all of this for me,"

"I can," Quinn moved her gaze from the note in her hand to Rachel, "she loves you Quinn,"

"Well, I know that but she's always been drunk, always," her eyes scoured the room again, looking for other things her mother may have left around, "what's that?" she noticed a letter on the table and Rachel went over to pick it up. Noticing what it was about, she handed it to Quinn not wanting to pry more than she should. "Oh god."

"She's serious Quinn,"

"No shit," she sighed out, not aggressively, just confused, "sorry, baby, I didn't mean to say that."

"It's alright Q," she smiled and walked up to her, "she loves you and clearly is seeing what she's been missing out on these past years, she's been missing out on you."

"I guess, I just. I don't know. I'm touched, is that the wrong word?"

"Not at all," she wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and hugged into her.

"Can we get into bed now please?"

"That's a very nice way to ask to have sex with me,"

"I wasn't-"

"I know," she laughed and pulled away from the blonde, "I'm joking. I'm so not ready for that anyway."

"Good," she nodded at the brunette, "well, not _good. _But, well. What I mean is, I'm not ready either."

"I just want it to be special," Rachel smiled to which Quinn returned.

"Me too," bending down to give the brunette a kiss, she pulled the small body so it was flush against hers.

"Come on, let's go upstairs,"

As she expected, Quinn had five missed calls from none other but Santana. Whatever anyone said about the Latina being a self centred bitch, she cared about Quinn a hell of a lot more than most people did and the pair were constantly in contact with one another. Rachel was just about twigging on to how important Santana was to Quinn and was careful to not insult her any more; she felt there was more to their relationship than they let on. As Quinn called her friend back, Rachel got ready, growing more and more comfortable with Quinn every time she did.

"_Hey Preggo,"_

"Don't you think it's time to stop calling me that now. It's been two years San, it's getting old."

"_I don't even think about what it means now, it's just a nick name, Q. I'll try to stop though, OK?"_

"Sure San, so why did you ring?"

"_Why do you think?"_

"The dinner with my Dad went very well."

"_There we go, that's all I wanted to know, you're all defensive Q, I don't like it."_

"San,"

"_I'm joking Quinn. Is Berry with you?"_

"Yes she is, do you want to talk to her?"

"_Ew no, I support you and her but I'm not ready to be all gay buddy buddy with Berry,"_

"I understand," Quinn laughed.

"_Now that's not a very nice thing to say about your own girlfriend, Fabray."_

"You know what I mean San. I'm not forcing you to be the best of friends but it'd mean a lot to me if you'd at least try to get on, you know?" Rachel looked over to Quinn who was sat on her bed, her legs crossed. She knew she was talking about her and couldn't help but smile at the adorable attempt she was taking to make her feel included.

"_I will try Quinn OK? Apparently Britt wants to talk to her though," _Rachel saw Quinn and wondered what Santana had said to make her girlfriend smile like that.

"She wants to talk to you," the brunette's eyes widened and Quinn elaborated, "Britt-Brittany wants to talk to her." her facial expression calmed as she took the phone off Quinn.

"_Hey Rachel," _came the chirpy voice from the blonde.

"Hey Brittany,"

"_I like you,"_

"I like you too, Brittany," Quinn started to laugh and grabbed Rachel's hand.

"_Santana likes you too but she just pretends she doesn't,"_

"Tell her she doesn't need to pretend she doesn't like me. I like her too,"

"_She wants to seem scary but she's not. She'll be alright soon, she just doesn't want Quinnie to get hurt,"_

"I understand but will you tell her I'm not going to hurt Quinn,"

"_I'll tell her," _the blonde nodded and turned to look to Santana, even she couldn't hide the smile that was on her face at her girlfriend's endearing conversation with Rachel. She did like her, in fact she was kind of intimidated by her. She was the only person, other than Quinn and Brittany, who had ever stood up to her and that kind of freaked her out. You can't be Santana head-bitch Lopez if you can't even scare Rachel Berry.

"That's good, well I'll see you tomorrow Brittany,"

"_See you Rachel, don't fuck Quinn to hard will you? We need her for Cheerios tomorrow," _Santana shot her a look, Quinn didn't even know about that yet.

"What?"

"_Oops, I wasn't supposed to say anything. Put Quinn on to Santana please," _

_ "_What's up?" Quinn asked simply, she hadn't heard anything that was just said and was concerned at what had caused the shocked expression on the diva's face.

"_So Britt just let a pretty big cat out of a slightly smaller bag," _even though she'd heard a question coming from Quinn, Santana continued, "_Ms Sylvester approached me and Britt after practice on Friday. She asked us whether it was true about you and Rachel so we told her it was and she nodded. We figured she couldn't do anything with you being off the squad and all so there was no harm in it right?"_

_ "_Right," Quinn said uncertainly.

"_But she just kept nodding and then she smiled and she said she needed a new Cheerio, apparently the only good ones on there now are me and Britt and she told us that she only wanted you, Q. I asked her what she would think if all her best Cheerios were gay and she said that meant nothing to her. 'Winning means everything', is what she said," _Quinn was speechless, she had no idea Sue wanted her back on the squad, or anything to do with her in fact, "_So she was going to ask you tomorrow if you'd join the squad again, she said she'd beg you if she had to."_

_ "_Wow,"

"_Yeah,"_

"Well, you know I want to. I mean, I do, even though I didn't think I did. After she kicked me off, and even when I was let back on, I felt like I wasn't wanted there," she looked to Rachel who had a weak smile on her face, clearly she'd caught the jist of what they were saying, "I'll let her ask me though, don't tell her you told me, yeah?"

"_Is that a yes?" _Santana sounded hopeful, maybe they really were on the edge of losing.

"It's a maybe," the Latina nodded, fully aware that Quinn couldn't hear, or see, her nod, "I think we best go to bed now. Bye Sanny."

"Bye Quinn, love ya!"

"Love you too San."


	6. Like in the Movies

After putting the phone down, Quinn looked to see Rachel's smile hadn't fallen at all like she'd expected it to. In her mind, they might have their first disagreement because of this, she knew how Rachel felt about the Cheerios and she wasn't sure how she'd take the news that actually, with Rachel, Glee and the Cheerios her life would be the best it had ever been.

"You should do it," the girl nodded, as if reading Quinn's mind and Quinn pulled her to sit in her lap and kissed her neck softly.

"Are you sure?" she breathed onto the brunette's neck, causing an eruption of goosebumps to form on her dainty arms which Quinn rubbed lovingly while looking up at her and into her eyes.

"More than sure, I haven't seen you as happy as you were when Santana told you that since I told you I loved you," the corners of the blonde's lips tweaked up into a small smile again, "and you don't know how happy it makes me to see you smile, to see you happy,"

"You make me happy though Rachel, I don't need to join the Cheerios to be happy. If you don't want me to, or it makes you feel uncomfortable, or anything at all, I won't join. I just want to be with you,"

"I know you do, but I want you to be as happy as you possibly can so you'll have me, you'll have the Glee club and you'll have Cheerios. That's the happiest you can be right?"

"Right," she nodded and held her hands in Rachel's lap with her arms around her petite waist, "thank you Rach,"

"It's fine, Q. Besides, it'll be fun watching you on the field again, in your cute little outfit," the couple laughed and Quinn shook her head at the girl, "hang on though," Quinn's head snapped up to see what was troubling the little singer.

"What about Sue? Surely she's not going to be very pleased that you're dating me, Rachel Berry. Never mind the fact that you're dating a girl,"

"I thought that too but Sue knows," Rachel's brow crinkled as she looked down to Quinn, "she knew before she told Santana and Brittany she wanted me back. She says they have no chance of winning without me and that's all she cares about it. Plus, look at Santana and Britt, they're together and they're both on the squad."

"I guess," the brunette's head tilted slightly, "huh, I'd never thought about those two like that before. They've kind of always been sort of together so it didn't seem any different when they came out,"

"I know, you should have been friends with them since you were five. I lived through years of Cheer Camp with those two being so unsubtle it was painful," the other girl couldn't help but laugh imagining what Santana and Brittany would have been like even when they were little, "don't get me wrong, they were totally adorable. Like when no one was around but us, they'd give each other sweet little kisses and lie in the same bed together, innocently of course."

"That does sound adorable," Rachel smiled, "are you sad that you don't have someone like that, someone you grew up being with?"

"Not at all," she shook her head, keeping her eyes, "I mean, it'd be nice you know? To have someone like that, and what Santana and Brittany have is amazing, they really have gone through everything together. But I have all I want and need right here,"

"If this was on TV and the couple hadn't even been together a week, I would turn it off and think it was stupid, unrealistic but this is real, isn't it Quinn?"

"Of course it is," she laughed, "you're tired aren't you?"

"A little," Rachel said and as if on cue she yawned, "OK a lot,"

"Me too, come on," Quinn stood up and it took a few seconds for Rachel to realise she was being lifted by the blonde. With a shocked look on her face, she looked to Quinn with an incredibly confused expression, "what you think all those years of cheer-leading didn't affect my biceps?"

"This is really hot,"

"You really are tired,"

"And you really are carrying me to bed, like in the movies,"

"Like in the movies," as they reached the top of the bed and Quinn had successfully pulled back the quilt for Rachel to roll in, she placed the diva delicately on the bed and kissed her on the top of the head. The blonde got ready quickly into her old Cheerio vest and hot pants and snuggled into the diva, wrapping her arm around her waist and hugging her in as close as possible.

"Mm," came from Rachel as she interlocked her fingers from one hand with the hand Quinn had just wrapped around her, "Quinn?"

"Yes Rach?"

"Even though I will try to talk to you like I usually do, I think I'm gonna fall asleep soon so in case I don't get to say it later, goodnight, I love you,"

"You even ramble when you're trying not to," snickered Quinn, "me too though, I love you more. Sleep well Rach,"

"No you don't, I love you more,"

"No you don't," insisted Quinn.

"I-"

"Rach?"

"Yes?"

"Go to sleep,"

…

"Stop looking at me," Quinn said, feeling Rachel's gaze on her after realising she was no longer in her arms. Without opening her eyes, she reached out to try and find the girl. When she failed, she reluctantly opened her eyes to find the girl sitting on the end of the bed with her small black panties and none other but her other old Cheerios vest.

"Stop looking at me," mocked Rachel crawling over to sit next to Quinn's head, when she got there she began stroking the blonde hair.

"I can't help it when you look all adorable like that," she sighed into the fingers running through her hair and continued to look up at her girlfriend, "is it weird to find your own clothes a turn on?"

"Not when it's me in them," she winked.

"Hey now," teased Quinn as she lay her hand on the diva's tanned thigh, "don't push it, it's still early."

"I knew a week was too quick to be doing things like this," she pouted and Quinn laughed at her.

"I meant early_ in the morning, _not early in our relationship," she sat up and lay her head against the headboard, "unless you think we're taking things too quickly?"

"No I just," she shook her head, trying to decide whether she should confide in Quinn or not, "I have this problem in relationships where I feel like I'm not worth what they give me, I guess I'm so used to people tearing me down that I find it hard to believe that someone could ever love me," Quinn felt a pain in her chest: guilt. She wasn't stupid, she knew that although it wasn't directly aimed towards her, that she was primarily responsible for the girl's insecurities, only two years ago she would spend her time verbally abusing her, she would be stupid if she thought that hadn't affected the girl at all. Holding her girlfriend's hands she looked her in the eyes.

"I'm _so _sorry," the brunette looked slightly confused, she never meant to accuse Quinn of anything, "I know it might not be all my doing, but at least some of it was. I am so so sorry for everything I put you through and I promise that, if you let me, I'll show you how sorry I am."

"Don't apologise Q, I know you're sorry and I've forgiven you. My issues aren't going to just go away though, but if you let me love you, and you love me back, I'm sure I'll be OK,"

"I hope you are. Let me love you?"

"I will, very happily," a smile crept onto her lips as she looked at the blonde in front of her, the vulnerable side of her coming out just like it had done the previous Tuesday.

"Breakfast?"

"Yes please,"

"We should also probably check on my mom," Quinn rolled out of bed and pulled on her red 'I love New York' hoodie she'd bought at Nationals, "I hope she didn't get up for a drink in the night."

"Well, we won't know until we see will we?" she rose from the bed, pulled on some sweatpants Quinn threw her and wrapped her arms around the blonde's tiny waist before looking up to her, "oh, and good morning."

"Good morning, beautiful."

...

Quinn had been keeping one eye over her shoulder the entire morning. Knowing that Sue was going to approach her did not help her get through the day in the slightest. Would she tell her before practice? Who knew, but she was beginning to feel stupid for bringing her uniform with her. Knowing Ms. Sylvester, she could have easily changed her mind even within a few hours, she probably didn't want Quinn to join back up again any more. Shutting her locker to go and find Rachel for lunch, she turned to see Sue staring down at her.

"Q,"

"Ms. Sylvester,"

"May I have a word with you in my office please?" a smile crept onto Quinn's face and she quickly tried to remove it, "don't worry, you will have plenty of time for lunch with the hobbit,"

Shaking her head slightly, Quinn followed the Coach into her office like she had done hundreds of times before, "What is it Coach?"

"I want you back on the squad," Quinn nodded her head and willed for her to go on, "we're losing, the only decent pair is Santana and Brittany but unfortunately you can't win with only two decent athletes. No matter your past, Quinn, you are the best this school has and I want, no I _need _you to come back,"

"OK, can I ask you something though?"

"If it's about that girlfriend of yours then no,"

"Well I'll be going then," she stood up to leave but as she reached the door, she heard Sue's voice ring out.

"Q," the older woman sighed, "I wish you weren't so like me. Sit down, go on, talk,"

"You are aware of Santana and Brittany's relationship," she questioned, taking her seat back in front of Sue.

"You'd have to be blind not to. Now before you go on, I don't care. Honestly, if you are all gay and all good then it doesn't bother me. If you're straight and good, it doesn't bother me. However, if you are bad, no matter who you are, then that is not OK. You Quinn, are good and you're gay and that's OK. At least you're not going to go and get yourself knocked up again,"

"Right," nodded Quinn with a smile on her face trying to overlook the pregnancy jibe, "see you at practice?"

"I've got you a new uniform, you know as a welcome back sort of thing," Sue bent over in her chair and pulled out a brand new, practically glowing uniform covered in plastic and handed it to the younger blonde who realised there really wasn't any need to bring the old uniform. Maybe she'd give that to Rachel as a joke, "I'm happy to have you back Quinn,"

"And I'm happy to _be _back, Coach," standing up and looking to Sue again, "thank you,"

"Thank _you, _Q."


	7. Toast to Q

"Toast to Q for not falling even when Brittany decided to jump on her mid routine," laughed Santana while holding her glass in the air looking around to the three others in the room. It was Friday night and after a full week's worth of jam packed Glee rehearsals and Cheerio practice, a night with her three favourite people was just the thing Quinn needed. Laughing along with Santana, she looked over to Brittany who seemed to also find the joke funny as she snuggled into Santana's side.

"I got excited, it's been ages since Quinn cheered with us and it all became too much," stated Britt while nuzzling into Santana's neck, "and anyways, she held me up and it actually kind of looked planned, even Coach Sylvester didn't realise it wasn't meant to happen,"

"I know _'Good idea girls, really held the routine together'_," completed Quinn in her flawless Ms Sylvester impression looking to Rachel who seemed to be mindlessly nodding along with the Cheerios' conversation, "you OK babe?"

"Mmhm, fine,"

"You sure?"

"Of course, I'm perfect, I'm happy," she nodded before laying her head down in Quinn's lap.

"She's drunk," commented Santana while Quinn shook her head laughing.

"I'm not," mumbled Rachel before rolling over so she was looking to the ceiling, "I never noticed the ceiling was green Quinn, it maches your eyes."

"You are so drunk," came from Britt as she looked from Santana to Rachel.

"Now that's impossible because I'm drinking lemonade, I'm just happy leave me alone,"

"I think I like drunk Rachel," smiled the blonde draping her legs over Santana.

"OK are San and I just furniture right now," protested Quinn as she stayed absentmindedly running her fingers through the dark hair dispersed over her legs.

"Yes, isn't that right Brittany?"

"Santana only isn't furniture when I am, you'll get used to it Quinnie, I'm sure," flashing a smile and turning her gaze back to Santana, Brittany began playing with Santana's hair.

"You two are cute when you're not around people," commented Quinn keeping her gaze on Brittany.

"And Berry is tolerable, who knew?" quipped Santana only to earn a glarefrom Quinn, "Hey! No need for that, I'm just stating the obvious,"

"It's OK Quinn, I know I can be annoying," Brittany scoffed at Rachel's words, "but it's only because I care about Glee,"

"Oh, we know,"

"Girls," Judy Fabray walked into Quinn's room and immediatley smiled at the sight before her, "oh don't you four look cute,"

"Mom..."

"Don't 'Mom' me Quinnie, I've known you three for a long time and I'm just happy to see you happy," smiled Judy, "anyway, who wants take out?"

"You're ordering take out," Quinn was surprised, her Mom hardly ate anything usually and never did she suggest something as 'unhealthy' or 'greasy' as take out.

"Yes, Chinese, who wants some?"

"We already ate Mom, but thank you,"

"Well we haven't, we'll get some Judy if that's alright,"

"Of course Santana, whatever you want it's on me,"

"Oh no, I'll pay for Britt and I, that's OK,"

"Really Santana, I insist," she nodded and kept her gaze on the clearly uncomfortable Latina, "please let me do this,"

"OK then, if you're sure,"

"More than,"

"Thank you very much, Mrs Fabray," spoke Brittany still cuddled into Santana's side. The couple gave Judy their order and the older woman exited the room to go downstairs.

"I'm sorry Quinn, I never would have got any if I knew she was going to pay,"

"Don't apologise, she's just doing what she thinks she needs to do, she's been seeing someone about her drinking since Rach and I got together. I spoke to her the other night and she said that she wanted to be sober to see me fall in love,"

"Oh, wow," Santana looked to Rachel who was too busy smiling goofily at Quinn while she played with her fingers, "that's really sweet of her,"

"Yeah it really is," added Rachel, "I can't believe it either Santana,"

"Me neither," laughed the blonde looking to Santana, "but she's much happier, it's weird. I thought that the lack of alcohol would make her sad or mad or something but it's just made her happier and are you two really going to kiss on my bed when I'm trying to tell you about how well my Mom is doing?"

"I'm happy for Judy, Quinn but if Brittany wants her sweet lady kisses then I am not going to be the one to deny her them," smirked Santana, "I know you wouldn't,"

"Well that depends, do you mean with Britt or with Rach?"

"Either," she winked and continued kissing Brittany, "besides, Berry might not be drinking but _I_certainly am,"

"Well you can drink somewhere else because there's no way I'm sharing my girl, and no way I'm kissing either of you two again," giggled Quinn, hugging Rachel into her further demonstating her reluctance.

"Spoil sport," pouted Brittany as she snuggled into her girlfriend again, "anyway, I don't want to share Sanny, she's miiiiiine," Santana winked at her and then placed a chaste kiss on her lips before mouthing 'I love you' to her. As much as she pretended otherwise, Santana was a romantic and she really did love Brittany, the only problem was how much she felt the old her melt away. Before their relationship was stable, Santana would have jumped at the chance of kissing Quinn, or even Berry, but now Brittany was the only person she wanted to kiss, the only one she wanted to love.

"I don't care what you say San, you and Britt are cute,"

"Yeah I know, but it's only because she's cute,"

"San," protested Brittany, "you're cute too, you just don't want people to see it,"

"You," she prodded the blonde's nose, "can't prove anything,"

"Hmm, ok," Brittany reluctantly agreed before kissing her again. Rachel looked up to Quinn before placing her petite hand to the back of her head and pulled it so it met hers in a kiss.

"Thought you didn't like PDA," teased Quinn.

"Well I thought I'd join in the fun,"

"Hey Quinn your name is Quinn,"

"Brilliant outburst Brittany, did you know your name is Brittany?" joked Quinn while Rachel just lay there completely confused by the other blonde.

"But queer begins with Q too, it's Queer Quinn," she threw her hands out like she'd just come up with a million dollar observation.

"Baby that's kind of offensive," squirmed Santana, something about the word 'queer' made her cringe, it was asthough something was wrong with you if you were 'queer'. Different, wrong.

"No it's not, I'm queer too, I can say Quinn's queer. You don't mind do you, Q,"

"Not really, no," she shook her head and laughed slightly at the thought, Queer Quinn, she wondered if people at school would click onto that and use it next time they needed to tear her down.

"Like Bi-Bi Brittany," giggled the blonde earning judgemental eyes from her girlfriend, "sorry San, I'll stop,"

"Thank you," she stayed pouting and Brittany kissed her to make her smile again, no matter how mad Santana might be, a kiss from Britt would sure fix it.

"I love you Sanny, you know that right?"

"I do," they smiled, as did the other couple. Rachel could see how these two had grown together, they moved together and everything they did was in sync, even down to the smiles. They knew how to cheer the other up, Brittany knew exactly when Santana was sad and the same vice versa. Soon she wondered how Artie had kept them apart, she just couldn't get it through her mind how he had stopped them being together when this was the chemistry they had. Then again, Santana said the same thing about Finn and her and Quinn.

As the night drew to a close, Brittany and Santana left Rachel and Quinn in their room as they went to bed in one of the many guest rooms, as far away from Judy's room as possible...

"You don't think they'll... you know, do you?"

"Of course they will," shrugged Quinn as she bent down to gather her shorts for her and Rachel

As distracted she was by Quinn's ass, Rachel still seemed shocked, "No, they wouldn't. In _your _house?"

"Sure," laughed the blonde, "why are you so surprised? Have you not _met _Brittany and Santana?"

"Well, yeah but it's your house, it's like, _weird,_" she shuddered and pulled Quinn's hoody over her head and Quinn smiled, who knew that Rachel in that jumper would be even hotter than her in the Cheerio outfit.

"Well somebody ought to get it in this house," she winked, nudging her slightly.

"I'm sorry," Rachel looked sad and Quinn's heart leapt.

"Oh no, no, I didn't mean... I didn't mean it like that... oh shit Rach I'm sorry,"

"No I know you didn't but I am sorry, I want to be able to do that with you and god knows my body does," Quinn blushed and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, "I do I just feel like I wouldn't do it right or something,"

"I doubt it when even the smaller kiss gets close to sending me over the edge, but it's OK Rach, we can wait and it'll be even more special,"

"I love you, you know," a small smile played on her lips as Quinn blushed slightly and quickly arched her eyebrow.

"I know," she placed a chaste kiss on the lips and lay down, pulling Rachel with her, "by the way, I love you too,"

"Thank you," she giggled and pulled Quinn's arms over her more, "Jesus Q, I have butterflies just lying here with you,"

"Me too, and your hair smells really, _really _good," complimented Quinn as she stroked her girlfriend's delicate hand, "this is perfect, why did we wait so long for it?"

"I'll never know the answer to that Quinn but we're here now and that's everything to me,"

"Ugh, I love you,"

"And you're the best girlfriend ever," Rachel rolled over and smiled at the beautiful blonde before her, "toast to Q," she whispered before kissing her deeply and finally falling asleep.


	8. Make Her Happy

Quinn was woken suddenly with the ringing of her phone. Rolling over to see who it was, Quinn groggily opened her eyes and began to pull away from Rachel. Depending on who it was calling, she quickly turn her phone on silent and huddle up against Rachel again. However, as she picked up her phone she felt herself jumping at the sight of the caller ID.

"Shit," she said before clumsily answering, "hello?"

_"Quinn, hi it's Shelby,"_

"Hello Shelby," suddenly she seemed a lot more awake than she actually was. Without really thinking about the possible reasons for her to be calling, her thoughts went straight to Beth, "is everything OK?"

_"Oh yes, everything is fine. I was just wondering if maybe you are free tonight? It's just I need a sitter for Beth and she's been asking for you,"_

"She's been asking for me?" Quinn's heart swelled as she thought of the beautiful blonde baby even remembering who she is never mind asking for her.

_"Yes, she calls you-"_

"Momma Q," she interrupted giggling at the memory of Puck telling her the first time he'd heard her say it, "yes I'm free, I'm free whenever you need me to be free,"

_"Fantastic, can't wait to tell her. Will Noah be coming?"_

"I'm not sure, I'll ring him as soon as we're done," turning to look at Rachel again, she realised she was still sleeping and a thought came rushing into her mind, "I have something I need to discuss with you Shelby,"

"_Oh?"_

"I'm kind of gay,"

_"_Kind_ of gay?"_

"OK I'm very gay," she laughed, feeling a little silly for saying it like that.

_"You're with Rachel aren't you?"_ Quinn's heart began to race, how had she known? Had Puck told her? No, he wouldn't do that, he knew ages ago how much she liked Rachel and if he was going to tell Shelby, he would have done months ago. _"Quinn I am around gay people all the time; it's rare to find straight people in theatres, even with women would you believe, and because of that I have a very good gay-dar,"_

"Oh," nodded Quinn, keeping her eyes on the sleeping girl infront of her, "I guess you've known a while,"

_"It was the main reason I was confused when you were pregnant,"_ Quinn laughed again nervously, "_although I am glad you were otherwise I wouldn't have Beth and I wouldn't have gotten to know you as well as I do. You're a good girl Quinn, so is Rachel. You're very well suited and I'm happy for you. So are you asking if she could come and baby sit too?"_

"Oh no, I don't think Rachel is ready for that. I don't even know if I'm ready for that and with you being her Mom... it's a little complicated I think. I'll ring Puck and tell him,"

"_OK Quinn but know if you want her to, and she feels comfortable, it's OK with me,"_

"Thank you Shelby,"

_ "Thank you Quinn. So I'll see you tonight, 7pm?"_

"Sounds good," she put the phone down and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes while gazing around the room. It was Saturday morning and she was going to be able to see her little girl later, she wasn't sure how she could be any more happy. Looking over to Rachel she realised she could and was, kissing her forehead lightly she felt the girl stir and slowly open her eyes. She kicked herself mentally, feeling awful for waking her, and yet her eyes told her she didn't mind being woken.

"Well if I get woken up like that every day for the rest of my life I'll be a happy girl," laughed the starlet looking up at her blonde, "how did you sleep?"

"Well, very well thank you, and you?"

"Fine, I love your bed,"

"Oh really?" teased Quinn arching her eyebrow suggestively.

"Too early for that Quinn," they laughed and Rachel sat up before kissing Quinn good morning properly.

"Get dressed girls we're going shopping!" they heard Santana shout from outside, "Are you decent? Don't want to walk in on some sick porno,"

"Come in San," sighed Quinn grumpily, why did she have to interrupt every sweet moment with something disgusting?

"Good morning sunshines," laughed Brittany whose fingers were interlocked with Santana's, "how is everyone on this fine morning?"

"You had sex didn't you?" asked Quinn with a smirk on her face.

"When?" asked Brittany looking to Santana wondering if there was evidence on her.

"Last night," stated Quinn.

"Oh of course, I thought you talking about this morning," giggled Brittany before sitting down on the bed with them. Kissing Quinn lightly on the cheek and waving to Rachel, Brittany invited Santana to sit with them.

"I feel all kinds of icky sitting on this bed," moaned Santana clearly trying not to touch anything for too long before moving altogether to just sit on Brittany's knee and wrap her arms around the blonde's narrow shoulders.

"And yet you see nothing wrong in having sex in Quinn's guest bedroom,"

"Three times," winked Santana looking to Brittany who buried her head in Santana's chest to hide her increasingly burning cheeks.

"And in the shower once," laughed Brittany, moving her face from its hiding place and kissing her girlfriend lightly on the nose.

"It's called a guest bedroom for a reason Berry and we are Q's guests, therefore we can have sex there right Q?"

"Sure," she shrugged, "it's not like I could stop you or anything, or like you make any mess,"

"Exactly, we're tidy and Judy never notices a thing, so stop your stressing Streisand," Rachel shut up and Quinn couldn't help but laugh. Having two such powerful and headstrong personalities around each other was something both interesting and hysterical. Clearly Brittany thought the same as she looked between the two girls and began to laugh herself. No matter how much she loved Santana's snappy streak, she did like it when she showed her compassionate side, like last night. She rarely told her she loved her around other people and yet she did on this very bed. Granted it was quiet, but still a part of her had been open around Rachel and Quinn that hardly saw the life of day.

"Come on then, get ready and shower separately because you might get... erm... distracted," Brittany tried to hurry them up, she really wanted to go out, "I know I did," Santana laughed and the other couple got off the bed.

"I'll shower first," smiled Quinn gathering all her things, "and then you can go," she gave Rachel a quick peck on the lips before leaving the three of them to continue the conversation. Feeling only _slightly _grossed out about showering where her two best friends had been doing it, she laughed and thought about the upcoming night. Should she ask Rachel to come with her? Of course she was going to tell her she was going but should she actually ask her to come? Puck wouldn't mind, in fact he might enjoy some other company. Shelby wouldn't mind and it'd be nice to explain to Beth that she had someone important in her life. Was it a little too much though? If she'd been with anyone but Shelby, it would have been fine. Let Rachel make her own mind up, yes, that was what she would do.

"So Berry, do you love my girl Quinn?" interrogated Santana almost as soon as Quinn stepped out of the room.

"Of course I do,"

"And you're not going to run back to Finn as soon as he realises Poppy is a moron?"

"No of course not," Rachel shook her head and began to giggle, "that's a little mean though Santana,"

"Hey you're the one who's laughing, not me. And you're not going to hurt her?" for the first time, Rachel could really see the concern and worry in Santana's eyes. She really did care about Quinn, about their friendship and how the relationship between her and Rachel would affect her. Finally she could understand why Santana had often been a little mean or sarcastic with her; clearly she still thinks there's something between her and Finn.

"I love Quinn," she nodded while smiling to the two other cheerleaders, "I don't love Finn, or anyone else but her and the only think I want to do is make her happy,"

"OK then," Santana nodded at her and smiled, "sorry I've been such a bitch, I just don't want her to be hurt, she's had enough of that already," Rachel nodded again, showing she understood the Latina's worries.

"So Santana's happy?" Brittany asked while running her fingers through the brunette hair.

"I'm happy Britt," she turned to look at her relieved looking girlfriend, the one of the two of them who was smart enough to see from the beginning that not only was Quinn happy, but that Rachel did love her. As a matter of fact, Santana felt a bit silly for doubting Brittany's judgement in the first place; Brittany understood people, and she always had done. She was the one who told Santana how their relationship was and now they she was the happiest she'd ever been. Yes, Brittany really did understand relationships.

Just when the conversation stopped flowing, Quinn emerged from the bathroom fully clothed with only her hair to do, "All yours m'lady," she said to Rachel as she walked to sit at her dressing table. She brushed through her hair and nattered on mindlessly to Brittany and Santana waiting for Rachel to finish up in the shower.

"I just spoke to Rachel about you,"

"Rachel?"

"Yes that's her name, Q," spoke Santana obviously.

"But you've never called her Rachel," questioned Quinn suspiciously narrowing her eyes at her best friend, what did she want out of this?

"Well you wanted me to call her Rachel so I am. Would you rather I stuck to man hands?"

"No, no, Rachel is more than OK, thank you Santana," smiling through the mirror, Quinn turned on the hair drier and watched her friends' silent interactions. The way Brittany's fingers played with Santana's while they smiled at each other and the funny faces she was making to try and get her to laugh. The way Santana tilted her head just enough for Brittany to take the hint and kiss her lightly. The way she mouthed small messages when she thought nobody else was looking. Finally she understood love, she understood why everything with Rachel was working out the way that they were. Even though Santana and Brittany were far from celibate, it was the small things that really showed their love for each other. And although Santana wouldn't admit it, Quinn knew that those moments were the ones she loved the most.


	9. She's My Girlfriend

When Rachel finally finished up in the bathroom, she walked into her girlfriend's room with a smile on her face, laughing at the sight before her. She noticed Quinn had lipstick on her nose and Santana the weapon, said lipstick, in her right hand. Brittany tickled Santana who was straddling Quinn on the bed. Rachel wasn't sure what was going on but couldn't help but laugh at the three of them. Realising nobody had notice her walk in, she jumped on top of all three of them and began to tickle Brittany. After fits of laugher and a bit more lipstick spread over the four faces, they sat up and looked simultaneously into the mirror only to earn an even larger laugh.

Once they'd all cleaned up and observed the slight mess on the bed (from the lipstick, naturally), the four of them left in aim of the mall in town.

"So San what do you 'need' this time?" Quinn asked, looking over to the girl driving with a smirk on her face.

"Well Quinnie, you see there is this party we've been invited to if you do so remember."

"Puck's?"

"Right," nodded Santana, "and I needz something to wear."

"Right," confirmed Quinn, "and why do me and Rach need to come?"

"Well you don't, I could pull over here if you want?"

"No, I just-"

"I thought you wanted me to make an effort with Rachel here," Rachel shuddered with delight, she'd never heard Santana call her by her actual name before, "well that's what I'm trying to do so why don't you just let me do it the only way I know... by shopping?"

"Sounds good, Santana, and thank you." Rachel inputted and tapped Quinn, whom was sitting in front of her, on the shoulder to which Quinn nodded and smiled lovingly at her girlfriend. Brittany smiled slightly at the interaction, she liked the way Quinn looked since being with Rachel, it made her look a lot happier. And people being happy made Brittany happy, that's just the way things worked.

The upcoming party made Rachel slightly anxious, she wasn't sure how things were going to pan out. Her relationship with Quinn, no matter how public it was, still made her nervous around other people. She wasn't sure how (or if) the alcohol consumption would affect her or Quinn when they were together. Remembering the previous party, when they'd almost kissed, Rachel couldn't help but feel the butterflies rise in her stomach. Surely now they were together nothing weird would happen, at least not something they'd get embarrassed about.

"Oh Rach," Quinn turned around, deciding it was now or never. If she was going to ask Puck, she needed to run things over with Rachel first, "Shelby rang me this morning."

"Right," Rachel's face fell slightly, not enough for the other two to notice but enough to make Quinn's breath hitch.

"She wanted me to baby sit tonight," Rachel smiled and nodded, she knew how this time made Quinn feel and that was something she wanted for her girlfriend, "so I'm going to ask Puck if he wants to come but she also said that if you wanted to come you could. I mean I know it might be weird, and a bit too much for you but-"

"No, I'd like to." she nodded and Quinn's face lit up.

"Really?"

"Yeah I would, it's not weird. Well, it is a little bit but I know it's important to you and I'm used to seeing Shelby around school and Glee and, yeah, so that's nothing new. I don't know, I think I want to meet Beth, your daughter."

"Thank you baby." Quinn stretched her hand around the chair and Rachel took it with a smile. Brittany laughed at the two of them but then looked to Santana, her girlfriend seemed to be taking it a whole different way. Santana had tears running down her face which she made no attempt at moving. Making eye contact with Brittany in the mirror, she mouthed her three favourite words, 'I love you', which Brittany returned with a grin._ Gosh_, she thought, _Santana is beyond adorable. _

Once they'd arrived at the mall and Quinn had arranged for Puck to pick her and Rachel up at half six, the four of them poured out of Santana's Range Rover and walked towards the mall. Santana took Brittany's hand right away and soon Quinn did the same to Rachel.

"We look like the gay Power Puff girls." Brittany commented with a giggle.

"Britt, there were only three Power Puff girls," Santana replied with a small smile, "and besides we look awesome."

"Fine, like the gay Spice Girls." Santana let that one go with a kiss on the cheek for Brittany while they approached the shops. Quinn and Rachel remained silent, just holding one another's hand, every now and then squeezing a little or running their fingers over the back of the other's to show they were still there, that they hadn't forgotten the fact that they were out in public holding hands, showing affection.

After finally finding an outfit for both Brittany and herself, Santana led the others towards the Spanish restaurant where they'd decided to eat. Santana's brother, Daniel, was one of the waiters to help support his studying to be a doctor so she tried her best to frequent the place as much as possible to try and annoy him. What else are little sisters for anyway?

"Little sis," Daniel greeted once the four of them had sat down at one of the booths.

"Dan," she nodded while Brittany tried her best to keep a straight face.

"Hello to you too Brittany," he smiled and she smiled back before taking Santana's hand under the table, "Quinn I haven't seen you in a while and you, sorry I don't know your name."

"Rachel Berry, it's a pleasure Daniel," she stuck out her hand and Daniel shook it before glancing towards Santana with a shocked look on his face, what century was this girl from?

"Well," he coughed, "nice to meet you Berry."

"I can tell whose brother you are." she commented earning a smirk from the two Lopezes.

"She's my girlfriend." Quinn smiled to which Rachel whipped her head around, she did not expect that. In fact, she didn't expect Quinn to tell anyone, never mind two people in one day. What was up with her?

"God little sis, what've you been putting in all these girls' drinks?"

"Me?" Santana laughed and feigned insult before all four of them ordered their food. As they ate they nattered and gossiped about most people in the Glee club, something Rachel found incredibly uncomfortable. Those people were her friends and even the slightest thing said about them made her feel guilty, even when she wasn't the one saying it. Even things about _Finn _made her squirm slightly in her seat. Quinn noticed, of course she did but no matter how it made Rachel feel, that was the way her, Santana and Brittany's friendship worked, even though they did have sincere moments, gossiping was how they bonded. _Anyway,_ Quinn figured, _it's only a bit of harmless gossip. _

As they began to tire a little of sitting around and drinking as many sodas they could (courtesy of the refillable cup they'd ordered with the food), the quartet retired to Santana's car and headed home. Beginning to feel a little guilty for her girlfriend's uncomfortable nature at dinner, Quinn decided to sit in the back seats with her to give her a hug, a sign that _her _Quinn hadn't gone anywhere and that just because she was willing to discuss other people, it didn't mean she was any different than the girlfriend Rachel knew and loved.

The petite diva picked up on, and appreciated, Quinn's motives although now it wasn't the gossip troubling her. The fact that she was going to see her Mom being 'Mother' to someone else made her feel weird. Not only someone else, but her girlfriend's daughter. She wondered whether she should just not go, Quinn would understand and maybe she could go another time. In the future. The _far _future.

Thinking it over in the arms of her girlfriend, Rachel felt herself doze off slightly. The warmth of Quinn made her sleepy, staying there as long as possible wouldn't trouble her in the slightest. As Quinn had said at the table, she was her girlfriend. _Her _girlfriend. And if nobody else could help her feel something, Quinn would always be there to, whenever she needed her to be.


	10. Because I Love You

As Puck pulled his car up on to the Corcoran driveway, Quinn began to feel the thud of her heart jump as though she were waiting in line to ride an extreme roller-coaster, so much so that she wouldn't have been surprised if the others in the car could notice it. She could sense Rachel was feeling weird, had been since they'd gotten back from the mall but no matter what Quinn said, she always insisted on coming along. "It'll be good for me." she'd insisted. Quinn wasn't so sure. This was hard enough as it was without Rachel maybe getting emotional, she wasn't sure Rachel understood that, that it meant something for Quinn and Puck too. Even Puck had lots of serious feelings for the little blonde girl.

Rachel was freaking out, she began to feel really hot, like you do when you first step foot in to a foreign country. Then she felt like she was about to pass out, be sick, burst into tears, that was until she realised why she'd gone in the first place. She watched Quinn and Puck talk to each other in the front seats of the car, the way Quinn mindlessly flicked through various snaps she and he had taken with the girl. Photos of Beth on the swings, feeding the ducks, watching cartoons, making faces. Although she lived with Shelby, there was no doubting who the parents were. Beth knew that they were her Mom and Dad. It was just she had two Moms that was all. Like Rachel. She had two Dads.

Suddenly it all clicked into place how hard all of this was for Quinn and Puck. Rachel knew what it was like growing up without a mother, but at least she had two Dads. She'd never had a child but she couldn't help thinking that losing your daughter was probably even worse than having no mother. No matter how accidental the process was, Puck and Quinn had _made _that little girl, she _was them _and no matter how much money, love and care Shelby put into her upbringing, nothing could change that fact. Especially with the presence she allows them to have in her little girl's life.

The three of them hopped out of the car, Quinn and Puck a little more enthusiastically than the petrified Rachel. Quinn waited by the car door for her, making sure to hold her hand as soon as she'd gotten out. Puck had already rang the door bell by the time Rachel and Quinn made it to the front door and almost instantly, it was opened by Shelby who was being chased by a clearly hyper Beth.

"I am so sorry, she was feeling a little poorly earlier in the day so she slept. I was going to ring you to say I wasn't going to go out but she woke up two hours or so ago and has refused to sit down. She may be a bit of a handful."

"I'm sure we'll be able to take care of her," Puck ran up to his daughter, scooped her up into his arms and began to tickle her stomach, "won't we Beth?"

"No Daddy! No! Stop it!" she giggled. Daddy. The word cut through Rachel like a dagger and she had no idea why. Why in this whole awkward situation with Shelby, Beth and Quinn did the word 'Daddy' make her want to keel over and be sick. Soon she remembered why.

"Momma Q!" that was it, the moment when she thought she wouldn't be able to take any more. The moment when she thought she'd actually have to get out of the house. What actually happened surprised her, she felt a gush of emotions for the little girl, for Quinn even. She'd never seen her so happy before and it only succeeded in making _her _happier. The way Quinn looked at the little girl made her heart melt. She just wanted to scoop both of them up and take them away. Then she was reminded whose house she was in. Sadly the realisation, like the word 'Daddy', made her want to be sick.

"Hello Rachel," Shelby's eyes were filled with sorrow, guilt, love and most surprisingly, joy. She looked like she enjoyed seeing Rachel. Like she'd missed her. Maybe Rachel would have been more focused if it weren't for the blondes dancing around the room in front of her.

"Shelby," she said coldly, not meaning really to and soon she felt bad, "how are you?"

"I'm fine thanks, how are you? How's school?"

"Oh you know, you see me everyday."

"We haven't spoken since-"

"Since I auditioned for West Side Story," Rachel told her, like she would forget talking to her mother, "yeah, it was because of you I got Maria. I might have lost it to Mercedes if it hadn't been for you. Thank you."

"Somewhere is a fantastic song and you sing it wonderfully. It was you who got yourself the role, not me."

"Well you lead me there." laughed Rachel, really conversation with Shelby wasn't as hard as she remembered it being. They had the same flow, the same interests. In actual fact, talking to Shelby was just like talking to her Dads, just with a lot more water under the incredibly large bridge.

"You and Quinn are a beautiful couple," she commented, bringing Rachel back to reality, she didn't think Shelby would bring it up. Not that it bothered her, it was just a surprise, a surprise she wasn't sure how to deal with, "I've told Beth about it and she's fine. I hope that's OK with you?"

"Yeah that's fine. I'm glad you did it to be honest. I don't know if Quinn would be ready to actually tell Beth yet. Not that she wouldn't want her to know but sometimes the words are hard to form around people you love."

"Like I get with you?" Shelby said, regretting it straight away she closed her eyes and cursed under her breath. Rachel was struggling to understand what breathing was again. That, like losing the ability to speak, was common around Shelby.

"Well... I... don't know."

"It is."

"Oh."

"I feel awful around you Rachel. I miss you, I have since the day you were born and I hope that maybe with you meeting Beth, with you being with Quinn, I don't know, maybe I could get to know you better? The_ real _you, not the _stage _you."

"I'm sure we'll be able to do that," Rachel nodded before remembering, once again, to take a breath, "I think it'd mean a lot to Quinn too."

"I'm sure it would." Shelby leaned in and gave Rachel a hug.

"Momma Q! Mommy's hugging your girlfriend!" Beth jumped up and down on the sofa with Puck while Quinn turned to see Rachel and Shelby smiling at her. Quinn beamed and nodded at Rachel. _Yes_, she thought, _things will be OK_. _Wait, did she just say girlfriend?_

"My what, Beth?"

"Your girlfriend. Mommy said Rachel was your girlfriend. Doesn't she look like Mommy?" the little girl laughed to herself and soon Puck joined in, "That's funny Momma." Quinn couldn't help but laugh as she turned to face Shelby again. She shrugged her shoulders and mouthed 'I'll explain later'. Quinn nodded and waved for Rachel to go and join them which she did.

"I shouldn't be too late," came from Shelby eventually, "now Beth be good and do what Momma Q, Daddy and Rachel tell you OK? I do want to come back to a house not completely ruined."

"Yes Mommy." Rachel smiled at all the moments she thought she'd cry. Hearing 'Mommy' and 'Momma Q' made her melt rather than make her whole being shrivel into the heap of despair as she expected.

When Shelby left, Beth seemed to immediately calm down. According to Quinn, that was normal, she thought it was a way of keeping Shelby's attention while she was still inside. Neither of them minded, for Puck it was a time to act crazy with his daughter and for Quinn it was a time to prove to Shelby that they could be trusted. They could be parents. That they were trying.

After a few hours of watching cartoons and talking, Puck took Beth upstairs to get her changed for bed while Rachel and Quinn made up some milk for her to drink.

"Rach?"

"Yeah Q?"

"Do you want kids, you know, someday?"

"Yes I do, very much so."

"Really? This hasn't turned you off?" Quinn laughed, watching the milk go around the microwave, a little scared to look at Rachel's face.

"Actually it's done the opposite."

"Huh?"

"I didn't want kids until tonight." Quinn's face snapped up, her eyebrows furrowed, "I thought I'd end up like my mother, I don't know. I was a little scared. But seeing you with Beth has changed my mind."

"You want kids with me?"

"Yes I do." Quinn ignored the beeping of the milk, walked up to Rachel and wrapped her arms around her middle. She'd never felt more in love. Rachel returned the favour by wrapping her hands around Quinn's neck and pulling her lips down for a kiss.

Suddenly there was a tug on Rachel's dress and she looked down to see Beth dressed in a fleecy baby-grow with a pink blanket in her hand.

"Rachie?"

"Yes Beth?"

"Do you love my Momma?" Quinn's eyes began to tear up as she looked from one of her girls to the other.

"Yes I do."

"You' and Rachie look nice together, Momma Q." Beth looked from Rachel to Quinn, "Are you crying?"

"Yes." laughed Quinn as she kept her eyes on the little girl before her.

"Why Momma?"

"Because I love you," she said before picking Beth up into her arms and kissing her lightly, "and I love you." she snaked one of her arms around Rachel's waist and the three of them hugged. Then Puck walked in to the room, dropped the bags full of the toys he'd brought and wrapped both his arms around the three of them.

"My favourite girls." he said simply before kissing Beth on the cheek, allowing his mohawk to tickle her lightly on the head.


	11. Come on Q

"Come on Q," whispered Rachel as she shook her slightly, trying her best to wake her up slowly. She didn't really want to wake her but then again, the idea of letting her sleep in the back of Puck's car was hardly appealing either. Slowly but surely, Quinn opened her eyes and smiled her lazy smile towards the brunette.

"Hey baby," replied Quinn who hadn't yet realised exactly where she was.

"Aw, cute," commented Puck sarcastically in the front of the car. Suddenly Quinn remembered where she was and seemed to awaken pretty quickly.

Stumbling out of the car, Quinn began to laugh and didn't stop laughing until she was tucked up in Rachel's bed, her body clad with Rachel's largest hoody and pair of sweats. She sighed into Rachel's embrace and smiled at her much like Beth had done earlier in the night.

Rachel looked to her, trying to figure out what she was feeling and it was then she realised, Quinn was _happy. _Although she had seen happy Quinn before, she'd never seen her like this. Her dopey smile, free of shame, the way she had the hood wrapped around her head as if allowing herself to take in as much of the smell the hoodie offered her. The way she'd never took her eyes off Rachel since she'd woken up or the way she didn't stop laughing.

She didn't know what was different or what she'd said. Whether it was Beth, or Puck, or Shelby. All she knew was that Quinn was sending her a message there, verbal or not she was trying to tell her something. And all the while Rachel was just sitting there, on her bed staring into the eyes of the girl she'd grown to love more than anything in the entire world, searching for the thing she was clearly trying to say.

Then it came.

"You're really mine, aren't you?" Rachel nodded, began to feel a tear roll down her face as she continued to look into the eyes of her girlfriend.

"Always." she smiled and felt Quinn sit up as she took her face in her hands. As she began to kiss the tears away, she felt like all the fear she and Rachel had been carrying around about being together was wrong. In every respect. She felt like finally she could be open with her, she could be with her. Words from Santana echoed around her head _"I don't know exactly when you know your ready," _she remembered the conversation they'd had about sex a few weeks prior, _"You feel it. In a kiss, a touch, a love," _she began to feel Rachel let her guard down, like maybe that was the time,_ "You just know. And if you wait to do it when you know, that's when it's fantastic."_

Santana wasn't wrong.

Once they'd both came down from their highs, they lay together, in each other's arms, taking in all they could about the other's naked forms. Quinn noticed a freckle or two on Rachel's hip bone, and she kissed them lightly feeling the muscles twinge in Rachel's stomach. They just lay there, comfortably, talking a little every now and then.

As they drifted off, each of them had images in their heads of the night but the ones which stuck around the most were the ones from before anything physical happened. The sweetness in Quinn's smile and the vulnerability in Rachel's eyes.

That was an image you couldn't forget; the look of love.

"I love you, Quinn Fabray."

"I love you too, Rachel." they smiled and fell asleep once again, the smell of one another surrounding them.

* * *

><p><em>AN_

_Just realised I haven't made any comments yet on this story. Thank you so much to everyone reading and especially people who have reviewed. I have a few ideas of where to go with this so I'm especially excited. Sorry for the short chapter here, I just wanted to get this out there and since it's pretty important to the story I thought it should kind of stand alone. _

_Thank you once again._

_Love from B x_


	12. Mark and Tyler

As Quinn rolled over after slowly waking up, she heard a knock on her door. She shook Rachel and immediately they began picking up the clothes they'd gotten rid of the previous night. Pulling the hoodie over her head, she yelled for who ever it was to "Come in".

"She said you'd have her here!" Quinn squealed, jumped up and down and ran into the arms of a man Rachel didn't recognise. She witnessed how much he looked like Judy and immediately realised who it must be; the brother she'd talked about the first moment she'd met her. He was incredibly eloquently dressed but he didn't seem to mind Quinn's creasing as he spun her around. Rachel guessed they hadn't seen each other in a while.

"Mark! Oh God what have you-? Where have you-? Is he here with you?" Quinn spouted once she was finally safe on the ground. Rachel suddenly felt very under-dressed as his gaze moved towards her. He smiled a huge and friendly smile before he sat down on the bed and began to answer the questions.

"I'm here for your birthday pumpkin," he poked her in the ribs and she giggled. Suddenly Rachel began to panic, Quinn's birthday was in a week! A week and she hadn't even thought about a present. "I have been all over and yes, he is here." Quinn squealed again before pulling him off the bed and shouting.

"Go on downstairs and talk to my Mom some more. I need to get changed." she laughed and once he was out of the door she turned back to face Rachel, "Come on baby, wake up."

"I'm awake silly."  
>"Well we need to get ready if we're going to meet his boyfriend." Boyfriend? Suddenly everything fit together, Judy's rambles about not being homophobic before meeting Russell, <em>"My brother is gay you know". <em>Rachel began to nod frantically before jumping out of bed and running around the room trying to gather all the clothes she'd had on the day before. They were clean, of course, but she still felt scruffy wearing the same outfit twice.

"Don't worry about your clothes baby," it was crazy how she managed to do that, "you'll look fine in anything. But not my Cheerio hot pants maybe." she winked and slapped Rachel's ass playfully before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. They both showered quickly before getting completely clothed. Rachel couldn't wait until they were both comfortable enough to be able to shower together but pushed that thought to the back of her mind; it probably wasn't the best thing to think of before meeting your girlfriend's Uncle and his boyfriend for the first time.

"And their clothes were all over the floor," they heard Mark laugh when they were half way down the stairs. Quinn snapped her hand up to Rachel's chest, initiating them to stop a moment, "bless Rachel though, I don't think she had a clue what was going on." Quinn began to laugh and turned to Rachel who rolled her eyes and sat down on the stair in protest.

"They're so lovely together. But Mark please don't talk about their-"

"Sex?"

"I was going to say intimacy but thank you." Judy turned from the men and grimaced slightly before beginning to laugh at the Frankness of her brother; that was a quality she most definitely did not posses (until she had a drink anyway which she hadn't since the day Quinn brought her home).

"I think we should go now." Rachel's head snapped up to her girlfriend to which Quinn just smirked and nodded, she liked the way talking about sex made Rachel flustered. It was highly amusing to her.

"Yes me too, come on." she held out her hand for Rachel to take which she did (eventually) and the couple walked into the room to see all three pairs of eyes looking at them. The man Quinn knew had to be Tyler had a smirk on his face, she liked him already, while Mark and Judy just shifted slightly in their stance.

"Hey girls," Mark said becomingly, wrapping his arms around his niece before moving on to do the same to Rachel who returned the embrace. She noticed he used the same cologne as Blaine, it had a distinctive smell. Spicy, masculine and yet slightly fruity. The perfect mix for Blaine and, presumably, Mark too. "This is Tyler." he introduced his boyfriend. He was taller than Mark very slightly with dark hair, styled very nicely into a quiff and hair-sprayed securely.

"I've heard a lot about you Quinn," he smiled before shaking her hand to which Quinn rolled her eyes and brought him in for a hug. She hadn't shaken anyone's hand since her Dad moved out and she planned to keep it that way. "Especially recently." he winked to her before glancing to Rachel, "and you must be Rachel."

"I am indeed," she hugged the man too, stepping on to her tip-toes in order to wrap her arms around his neck.

"You're a very beautiful couple." commented Mark politely before walking into the kitchen to help Judy with the coffees. Rachel, Quinn and Tyler talked a while.

"I didn't even know Mark had a boyfriend until a month ago."

"No, neither did your Mother." his smile fell slightly, "With your Dad being, well the way he is, he wasn't sure whether telling Judy about us would be safe. But when he heard about you two, he rang Judy right away. She was very happy to hear from him after so long."

"I know but I thought he might have told me. We've always been close, he's more of a brother than an Uncle."

"He wasn't sure if you'd mention it to anyone, he didn't want your relationship to be cut short. But we don't have to worry about that anymore," they noticed Mark carrying a tray full of coffee, "do we babe?"

"Nope, we're all gay and it's all OK."

"Well, except Mom." laughed Quinn who looked to Judy still working in the kitchen.

"And Fran?" asked Mark, picking up a coffee and handing another to Tyler before sitting down next to him on one of the sofas.

"Well, that I know of. We don't talk."

"Ever?" questioned Mark with a shocked expression.

"Ever." she nodded and Rachel looked to the pictures on the walls noticing there were only a few of Fran, Quinn's sister, and in most of them she only looked around ten years old. Not the twenty-something she actually was. "But she's married, to a man, so I'm guessing she's straight."

"Well, never mind eh, you seem to be OK without her here and I haven't seen my sister as happy since before her marriage. I don't know what you're doing kiddo but keep doing it."

"Kiddo! You're only six years older than me! You're younger than Fran!"

"Yeah well," he laughed lightly, taking Tyler's hand into his. It was nice, for Quinn especially, to see an older couple being so open about their relationship. Of course she was used to Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Brittany but there was something different about Mark and Tyler. They were related to her, they were older, they were somewhat settled together (especially from what Tyler had told her). They gave her hope that all she wanted to achieve in life, the things she wanted to accomplish, she could do them. And she could do them with a girl by her side.

After an hour or so chatting on the sofas, Rachel decided she should probably go and see her Dads; she had stayed at Quinn's for the past three nights and perhaps they were in need of reconciling. She couldn't also help that they'd have questions about everything she needed to answer, and Quinn could do with some alone time too with her family before school the next day.

"I don't want you to go." Quinn smiled, placing her arms around her waist and pulling her in for a hug.

"I don't want to go either by I'm getting non stop calls from my Dads and besides, you have your Mom, Mark and Tyler to talk to. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"We haven't slept apart since-"

"I know."

"But-"

"Quinn we don't want to become codependent."

"Become? I already am! No fair Rachel."

She leant in to her ear and whispered huskily, "Maybe you _could _come over later. If you're lucky."

"You can't leave _now._" Quinn's knees went weak as she stared into the dark eyes in front og her. "Fine, fine, go. But I am coming, whether you like it or not."

"I'd rather you _did _come." she winked and kissed Quinn lustfully on her lips.

When she finally pulled back, Quinn exclaimed, "Rach!"

"Good-bye Quinn," she peeked her head to look for the others before shouting "Thank you Judy! Bye guys!"

Kissing Quinn on the cheek and sashaying down into her Mini, Rachel thought about the way she'd left Quinn. Oh yes, she'd_ definitely_ be seeing her later.


	13. So Happy Together

"Quinn."

"Rachel go away."

"No Quinn I'm not going anywhere. You can tell me to leave all you want but I'm not leaving I-"

"Right OK. Stay. Just, shut up will you." Quinn sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. No matter how much she felt about the girl, no matter how happy they were together, sometimes she really just couldn't take any more of her excessive rambling.

Rachel nodded and sat down next to Quinn, making sure to not get too close. She didn't want to push her too far or freak her out. She wasn't sure what had sent her flying over to her house at one in the morning and she wasn't sure what was going to calm down but she certainly was _not _going to be the one to make it worse.

Turning on the radio, Rachel stood up and looked to Quinn for a sign that it was OK. When she nodded, she sat back down next to her and held onto her hands.

"My sister turned up." Quinn's voice was shaky as Rachel nodded, understanding Quinn's problem with her sister. "And I wanted to try and make things OK with her, I really did but when she saw Mark and Tyler, she freaked out. Started yelling to my Mom about how God's going to hate her for having gay people in our house. So naturally, I fought back at her and she asked if I was 'one of those dykes now'." Rachel shuddered, "So I said yes. That I was and that I was happy. And she... she left the room. I don't know where she went because as soon as she went so did I. I came straight here."

"I'm sorry Quinn." was all Rachel could manage.

"You don't have to be sorry. She does."

"Then why did you come here?" Quinn pulled a face, unsure about what Rachel was asking it was natural for Quinn to go there. She was her girlfriend, why else would she go there when she was upset? "Why didn't you have your out with her? I know you, Quinn, you're not one to run away from an argument. Especially not one you believe in."

"I don't know," but she did, "I guess she scared me."

"Scared you?"

"Well, before she left the room, she fired some questions at me. About me and you. Basically she told me we'd never last. That the 'soon-to-be famous Rachel Berry' would never settle for someone as little as me. Someone with no future."

"I am not settling. I am higher than I've ever been Quinn, you know that."

"No I know that you're happy. That _we're _happy. But, I don't know, I guess I am kind of scared. We kind of rushed into this didn't we. We didn't really talk about it, our entire relationship has been acted on an impulse. Never thought through." Quinn had tears in her eyes as she looked to Rachel, begging for an answer.

"I love you, Quinn Fabray, I love you and I'm not going to leave you. I. Love._ You_." Rachel nodded and held tightly onto Quinn's shaking hands.

"I love you too." She leaned in and kissed Rachel tenderly, feeling somewhere in the kiss that everything would be OK. She kicked herself for listening to Fran, what did she know anyway? As she moved her hands to hold Rachel close to her, she felt Rachel smile into the kiss, reassuring her further that they'd be alright.

When_ the_ song came on the radio, Quinn pulled back from Rachel and instantly burst into laughter. Her memories flashing to the night Rachel and Quinn had started the relationship. As she shook herself, she began to sing along to the song she'd heard in that very room that very first night.

_"Imagine me and you, I do. _

_I think about you day and night, it's only right. _

_To think about the girl you love, and hold her tight. _

_So happy together."_


End file.
